Cong. seeks statehood Bill in next session

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 2. The Congress today called on the Government to bring a Bill in the next session of Parliament to grant statehood to Jharkhand, Uttrakhand and Chattisgarh. The party spokesperson, Mr. Ajit Jogi, said his party would have no objection if the Government called a special session to ensure the expeditious passage of the Bill.

Accusing the BJP of doublespeak, Mr. Jogi said the Government was merely paying a lip service to the issue and was now backtracking on the promise made on the issue in its manifesto.

Criticising the Government for putting off the introduction of the Bill during the Budget session , the Congress spokesperson said the Government had tried to cover its back by merely including it in the supplementary list of business on May 17, the last day of the recently concluded session, which predictably the Speaker disallowed.

Mr. Jogi came down heavily on the BJP accusing it of `` having cheated the people of the proposed states''. He cited the example of the BJP's campaign in M.P. where the party had asked for votes on the slogan of ``one vote two states''. Though the Congress spokesperson offered the party's support to facilitate the passage of the Bill, he also made it clear that the party would not sit back and wait for an eternity for the Government to act on the issue''. We will exert all the pressure we can to force the Government to introduce the Bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament.

The party's decision to raise the issue today is not without significance. The party is trying to identify itself with popular issues, besides being on the lookout for issues to embarrass the BJP.

Yesterday it announced an agitational programme on the price rise issue and it is now trying to identify itself with the people asking for statehood in Jharkhand, Uttrakhand and Chattisgarh. The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, is visiting Dhanbad as a part of it tomorrow and the party wants to build a favourable atmosphere ahead of the visit.

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