Backing Droupadi Murmu was a big dilemma for Hemant Soren, says Union Minister Arjun Munda

New Delhi: Ever since the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha voted for Droupadi Murmu during her run for the President’s post while its coalition partner in the state, Congress, voted against her, leaders across party lines are speaking about the possible breaking up of the alliance.

Many eyebrows were raised when chief minister Hemant Soren met union home minister Amit Shah around the end of June. Soon after, JMM, Soren’s party, announced its support for Murmu. The political developments in Jharkhand are keeping leaders on their toes. During this political upheaval, News18.com spoke to union minister for tribal affairs Arjun Munda on the possible political scenario emerging in his state of Jharkhand and on the significance of a tribal person becoming the President. Edited excerpts:

There are reports of JMM’s social media handles using the chief minister’s photo and coming out in his support while asking ‘if not Soren then who?’ What do you make of this?

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I am not ready to analyse any political development in Jharkhand as of now. But I can say that the state should be administered effectively. The state government should provide benefits of schemes to the people they were meant for and the political environment of the state should remain peaceful. The kind of political reports we are getting has put a question on the status of the state. The state was not formed for all this. It was formed to fulfil the aspirations of the people and respect the wishes of the people and turn them into reality.

Was it a compulsion or the BJP’s political acumen that had the JMM supporting the NDA’s presidential candidate?

The voting for President was neither. We made an effort for everyone to rise above party politics. However, it comes to mind that while we are speaking about issues of tribals, and if we are not supporting a tribal woman for such a respectable post in the country then who do we support? It was a dilemma for JMM and there is no doubt about it.

Do you believe that Congress’s decision to not support a tribal woman for the post of President will dent its chances in Jharkhand?

As far as my information goes, many including Congress have voted in favour of Murmu’s candidature in Jharkhand. It would have been better for Congress to support Murmu and send a message to the country that in the 75th year of Independence, we all are together in uplifting the lives of those who have lagged behind. We are working to strengthen the country. There have been times when for years the country was divided into castes and communities. Communal violence was promoted and incited. The decisions that are being made today by the Modi government have a mission which is to better the lives of those who have been neglected for years. We have made constitutional provisions to ensure that they will come at par with others. No one thought of establishing someone from these communities on constitutional posts.

Droupadi Murmu has taken the oath of President. How significant is this for the community?

The decision to have a tribal woman as President has been rightly called a watershed moment in the history of the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The tribal communities live in places that are not easy to live in and we have been working to better their lives during Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Not only tribals, but the whole country is also proud of Madam President Droupadi Murmu. The people have voted for her, rising above party politics.

How far-reaching is the message, of Murmu as President, among tribal communities?

Tribal communities are celebrating Madam President Droupadi Murmu’s victory everywhere across the country.

The opposition had tagged you as a party of upper castes. Do you think having communities that are neglected for years on constitutional posts is an attempt to change that perception?

The BJP government has got a whopping mandate and it was possible because every community and section has voted for us. The opposition has a blinkered vision and they cannot even think beyond a limit. It is this blinkered vision that makes them attack us for no reason at all.

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