The Jharkhand unit of the Congress on Sunday marked the party’s 140th foundation day with programmes at the state headquarters and across districts, while the BJP mounted a sharp counter-attack, questioning the Congress’s record on democracy and governance.
Addressing party workers, Congress state in-charge K Raju described the occasion as an important moment in the party’s journey in Jharkhand. He said the foundation day was being observed across all gram panchayats and urban local bodies, with flag hoisting and meetings aimed at reconnecting with people and spreading awareness about the Congress’s ideology and policies.
At the state headquarters, Pradesh Congress Committee president Keshav Mahato Kamlesh hoisted the party flag. Senior leaders who had played a role in strengthening the organisation in the state were felicitated. The party also released a new edition of its magazine Congress Sandesh. The programme concluded with traditional drumbeats and cultural performances to mark the implementation of the PESA law in Jharkhand.
Raju alleged that recent changes in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) had weakened workers’ rights and curtailed the role of states and village institutions in deciding development priorities. He announced that the Congress would begin protests from January 5 and organise a major rally in Jharkhand against the changes, warning that they could worsen migration and disturb the social and economic balance in rural areas.
Kamlesh, recalling the party’s legacy since 1885, said the Congress had played a central role in India’s freedom struggle and in building a modern, inclusive nation. He said the party continued to fight for the rights of tribals, farmers, women, workers and youth in Jharkhand, adding that its objective was to bring about systemic change to safeguard democracy.
The BJP, however, rejected the Congress’s assertions. State BJP spokesperson Ajay Sah accused the Congress of repeatedly undermining democratic institutions and functioning as a family-centric organisation. He cited the Emergency of 1975 and alleged misuse of constitutional provisions as examples to argue that the Congress lacked moral authority to speak on protecting democracy.
Sah also targeted the Congress over MGNREGA, alleging large-scale corruption during its tenure and questioned why the party was not protesting against the Jharkhand government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Defending recent reforms, he said measures such as direct benefit transfer, Aadhaar-based verification and technology-driven monitoring had improved transparency and ensured wages reached workers directly.
With both parties staking sharply divergent positions on democracy, governance and rural employment, the foundation day observance turned into a renewed political exchange, reflecting the sharpening political contest in Jharkhand.