Ranchi: The Political Affairs Committee of the Jharkhand Congress has thanked Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and all ministers and legislators of the state government for the decisions taken in connection with the student movement that has been underway for the past 24 days.
The resolution said that accepting the students' demands reflected democratic sensitivity.
Congress outlines reform plans
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Jharkhand Congress in-charge K Raju said the party would conduct a study to formulate a concrete strategy for reforms in the recruitment examination system and submit its suggestions to the government.
He said the complete list of voters whose names have been deleted from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) would be made available to all Booth Level Agents (BLAs). They would be tasked with contacting voters whose names were left out and assisting them in getting their names added to the electoral rolls.
Raju said the Congress would launch an agitation in Jharkhand against the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Amendment Act, arguing that the legislation would cause economic losses to the state. If necessary, the party would launch protests at any level. Suggestions would be sought from all party members to decide the course of the agitation.
Party raises state issues
On displacement and land acquisition, he said the Congress would place its suggestions before the government and press for full implementation of the 2013 law. The party would continue to raise public issues with the government and make its position clear.
Regarding the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, Raju said the bill had been introduced in Parliament and referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Congress would consult organisations affected by the proposed legislation and support them in protecting their rights.
Raju also said that if delimitation was implemented solely on the basis of population, the number of Scheduled Tribe seats in Jharkhand could decline. The party would examine the issue and was prepared to launch a full-fledged struggle against any such move.
Congress warns of agitation
Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh said the coming days would be challenging for both the people of Jharkhand and the Congress, and the party needed to remain prepared for a sustained struggle.
He alleged that the Centre was depriving Jharkhand of its rightful share and said the proposed amendments relating to mines and minerals would cause extensive damage to the state. If necessary, he said, the party would not hesitate to launch programmes such as an economic blockade against the legislation.
Kamlesh said seven issues had been discussed in detail at the meeting, including a caste census, formation of district-level disciplinary committees, extending assistance to lakhs of voters receiving notices under the Special Intensive Revision, ensuring the rights of displaced people, protecting students' rights, and taking steps to strengthen the examination and education systems.
Caste census demand raised
Congress Legislature Party leader Pradip Yadav said the census process was currently underway. He said Rahul Gandhi and the Congress had launched a campaign demanding that a caste census be conducted and that it include a separate column for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
He said the government had earlier informed Parliament that house-listing was underway and that an OBC column would be included when the caste census began. "Unfortunately, they have dropped the OBC column and retained only the caste column," he said.
Yadav said the Sarna religious code should also have been included in the caste census but had been omitted. He said the Congress had decided to launch an agitation over the issue as well.
He said the number of displaced people in Jharkhand ran into lakhs and that they had not received their rightful benefits. The Congress would fight for their rights, including compensation for land and other entitlements related to displacement, he added.
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Leaders attend meeting
Those present at the meeting included Congress Legislature Party deputy leader Rajesh Kachhap, Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, Agriculture Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari, former state Congress presidents, working presidents, district presidents, district in-charges and members of the Political Affairs Committee.
At the press conference, Jharkhand Congress co-in-charge Bhupendra Maravi, Congress Legislature Party deputy leader Rajesh Kachhap, state Congress media in-charge Rakesh Sinha, and Satish Paul Munjiani were also present.
