By Satyajeet Kumar: The Jharkhand government has lodged a case against Union Minister Arjun Munda, along with former chief ministers Raghubar Das and Babulal Marandi, and 40 others over a protest rally against the administration.

BJP workers and the Ranchi Police clashed on Tuesday during a march towards the Jharkhand secretariat for a previously announced gherao programme. Police burst tear gas shells, used water canons and lathi-charged the protesters to prevent them from marching to the secretariat, where prohibitory orders were clamped as a deterrent.

The case was registered against thousands of unnamed people for violating government orders during the protest rally by the BJP in Ranchi. The FIR was lodged against BJP workers for instigating riots, violence, violating prohibitory orders, hindering government business, and disobedience to orders duly promulgated by the government.

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Two former CMs — Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das — and Union Minister Arjun Munda, were booked under relevant Sections of the IPC.

The BJP observed April 12 as a black day and staged protests in all the districts. The party alleged that they were marching democratically, and their voices were suppressed.

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BJP Jharkhand chief Dipak Prakash said, “It’s in the public domain how the administration resorted to lathi charge, shelled tear gas, and used water cannons.”

Union Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday came down heavily on the Hemant Soren-led government and said that the case was registered against him to settle political scores.

Munda added that the judiciary would see to it, and the case should have been lodged against the Hemant Soren government for blatant misuse of power and indiscriminately resorting to lathi charge against BJP workers.

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