Ranchi, Aug 31 (Inditop.com) The Jharkhand government’s plans to seek help of the Catholic Church for distributing food grains in the drought-hit state have drawn flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Jharkhand Governor K. Shankarnarayan’s advisor T.P. Sinha, who is also in charge of the food and supply department, Sunday met Cardinal Telephore P. Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi, and sought the help of the Church in grain distribution.
All 24 districts in Jharkhand have been declared drought-affected.
While the cardinal assured Sinha of all help through the dioceses, the BJP sees the government’s move as an attempt to lure tribal voters before the assembly elections.
“Why is the Church being approached? The Church has vested interest in tribal areas and distributing food grains through it is a move to lure tribals to the Congress before the elections,” former chief minister and BJP parliamentarian Arjun Munda told Inditop.
“Why is the state government not using its own machinery for foodgrain distribution? Jharkhand has a public distribution system that could be used,” asked Munda.
“The governor is trying to create an environment in favour of the Congress. Why didn’t he convene an all-party meeting over the drought situation?”
