Hemant Soren wants to turn Ranchi into Karachi, says Giriraj Singh

Patna, Nov 19 (PTI) Attacking the ruling JMM-Congress coalition in Jharkhand, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday claimed that Chief Minister Hemant Soren wants to turn the state capital "Ranchi into Karachi".

Speaking to reporters in Patna, Singh urged the people of Jharkhand to vote for the safety of women.

"Hemant Soren and Congress want to turn Ranchi into Karachi, and Dumka, Deoghar and Sahibganj districts into Bangladesh. The Congress and its allies want to divide us. I urge people, a day before the final phase of polling in Jharkhand, to vote for the safety of their 'bahu-beti'," he said.

Polling for 38 assembly seats in the second phase will be held in Jharkhand on Wednesday.

Accusing the Congress and its allies of dividing the people, Singh said, "They are talking about 'vote-jihad'. Their basic motive is to divide the votes of the majority community. People must not allow this to happen." Asked about Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge likening the BJP and RSS to "poison", he said, "Although he is a puppet in the Congress, he should not use such unparliamentary and derogatory words. In fact, Congress leaders use poisonous words in their speeches with a motive to divide the voters into communal lines." Addressing a rally in Sangli in Maharashtra on Sunday, Kharge said, "If there is anything which is politically the most dangerous in India, it is the BJP and RSS. They are like poison. If a snake bites, the person (who is bitten) dies... such a poisonous snake should be killed." On the allegations of religious conversions in Buxar, Motihari, Begusarai and Lakhisarai districts of Bihar, Singh said strict action must be taken against preachers indulging in such activities.

"It is quite surprising that RJD and Congress leaders are maintaining a stoic silence over the conversion activities being carried out by missionaries," he said. PTI