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The Rediff Interview/Mukesh Baba

'If peaceful means don't get us solutions, we'll resort to violence'

Those battling for the creation of a separate Jharkhand state, aka Vananchal, in south Bihar have begun to lose patience with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling coalition at the Centre.

General secretary of the Jharkhand People's Party Mukesh Baba said the Vajpayee government was playing a "cat and mouse game", using it as a ruse to stay in power.

The JPP feels Vajpayee is kow-towing to Laloo Prasad Yadav and his Rashtriya Janata Dal government, and going back on his commitment to create a Vananchal state.

In this interview with Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi, he speaks about the hurdles being foisted in the way of the creation of the Vananchal state in South Bihar.

What is your grievance against the Vajpayee government regarding the creation of Jharkhand or Vananchal?

The developments of the last few days have made it clear to us that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his government are playing a cat-and-mouse game with us regarding their earlier commitment to create a Jharkhand state. We feel the Vajpayee government is unsure whether it will continue to get support from Jayalalitha and her All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Atalji's calculation is that if the AIADMK withdraws support to the BJP-led government, he would have look for support from elsewhere.

After Laloo Yadav's house was raided in Patna recently in connection of the multi-crore fodder scam, the RJD chief met the prime minister. We have reasons to believe this meeting resulted in some deal between the BJP and Lalooji.

After this, we observed that Atalji seemed reluctant to implement his earlier decision to create Jharkhand. Obviously, some trade-off resulted in the due to which Jharkhand is to be sacrificed.

Why do you feel that Laloo Yadav too has gone back on his commitment regarding the creation of Jharkhand or Vananchal?

For Lalooji, the arithmetic is simple. Earlier, his RJD needed the support of the Jharkhand parties for the Rabri Devi government in Bihar to stay in power. However, when he realised that he could muster considerable support in north and central Bihar, he apparently decided to dump the Jharkhand parties.

Do you think Laloo Yadav's political strategy on the Jharkhand issue is justified?

I would say that he is just concerned with the political advantage from the issue. Out of the 54 parliamentary seats in Bihar, north and central Bihar account for 40 seats while south Bihar accounts for 14 seats. Apparently, Lalooji is more concerned about north and central Bihar which, he feels, comprise his support base.

Your contention about a secret deal between the BJP and Laloo Yadav seems far-fetched. Laloo Yadav is known for championing the cause of social justice -- he has even formed an alliance with the Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav. Would he really sacrifice his alliance with Mulayam Yadav for short term gains with Vajpayee?

That is our reading of the situation. Today, Lalooji is facing the biggest challenge of his political life and he appears ready to do anything. Tell me, despite the approver (the fodder supplier from Ranchi, Chandok) alleging that Laloo Yadav took Rs 500 million in the fodder scam, why has the Vajpayee government still not taken any action against him? All this points to a secret deal between the prime minister and the RJD chief. Further investigations into the fodder scam has been delayed, thanks to the ruling coalition at the Centre.

How do you think Laloo Yadav could muster sufficient support in north and central Bihar?

I hand it over to Laloo Yadav for having considerable political savvy. He is going about in Bihar telling the people that Article 356 of the Constitution (concerning President's rule) is to be imposed in the state because he is opposed to the division of Bihar. Obviously, Laloo Yadav has support in north and central Bihar where people get sentimental about the division of the state. Lalooji has even said that Jharkhand would only be created only over his dead body. Naturally, he has become a hero among the people of north and central Bihar.

But what do you make of the Bihar governor's statement that law and order simply does not exist in the state?

He, the governor, is absolutely right. Do you know that politicians opposed to Laloo Yadav have fled Bihar because of the threat to their lives? Such politicians include Kali Prasad Pandey, Subodh Kant Sahay, even Shatrughan Sinha. They have all voiced their worries about the RJD regime in Bihar. There are also numerous criminals from the state who have sought shelter outside.

So what is your gameplan now?

We are determined that ulgulan (the struggle for awareness) will continue. Let me make another thing very clear. We have lost our patience on the volte face by various parties on the creation of Jharkhand. If the people of Jharkhand do not get their due, they will resort to terrorist activities. That is certain. If peaceful means don't get us solutions, we'll resort to violence.

Would violence give you Jharkhand?

We will also resort to the economic blockade of Jharkhand like Nagarhole in Karnataka. South Bihar accounts for 46.5 per cent of India's mineral wealth and if we do not get our due, we will ensure that our mineral wealth does not go out of Jharkhand. This isn't a threat, it's a promise.

If the new state is created, would you call it Jharkhand or Vananchal?

We do not mind any name, providing we get our new state.

The Rediff Interviews