JMM against division of Orissa: Sudam Marandi

Bhubaneswar, Jul 25 (UNI) The Orissa unit of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) today clarified that the party had never proposed the division of Orissa and alleged that a ''baseless and malicious'' campaign had been launched to defame the party before the public.

JMM Orissa state unit president Sudam Marandi, MP, told newsmen here that some political parties had conspired to mislead the people that the JMM was demanding the inclusion of three Orissa districts - Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh and Keonjhar - with Jharkhand for a greater Jharkhand state.

This had led to serious law and order situation in some parts of Orissa, where the ruling BJD and BJP had come to the street and organised bandh.

Describing such an action by the ruling party as ''dangerous'', Mr Marandi had urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to ask his party and alliance members to withdraw from such agitational programme.

The JMM MP said it was highly unfortunate that the ruling BJD and BJP were trying to extract political mileage from the ''sinister'' campaign and creating law and order situation while remaining in power.

The BJD and BJP activists had observed bandh in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts and burnt the effigy of JMM supremo Shibu Soren at several places in the state in the past few days protesting the reported remark of Mr Soren on the merger of three Orissa districts with Jharkhand to pave the way for the formation of greater Jharkhand.

Mr Marandi alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his partymen were trying to divert attention of the people after the victory of the UPA in the trust vote in Parliament.

He also clarified that while extending support to the UPA in the trust vote, the JMM had never raised the issue of division of Orissa as precondition as reported in a section of the press.

UNI DP SJC AM BD1940