Congress’ Jairam Ramesh questions PM Modi’s silence on key issues during Pune visit

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticizes PM Modi's policies on industrial, social, and cultural issues ahead of his Pune visit.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pune for the launch of several projects, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday (September 26, 2024) took a sharp dig at Mr. Modi, again referring to him as the “non-biological PM” and demanding answers to four critical issues that he believes are being neglected by the BJP government. 

Mr. Ramesh’s questions targeted the State of Maharashtra’s industrial sector, social justice for marginalised communities, and cultural recognition.

He questioned the government’s inaction over the mass exodus of manufacturing units from Pune’s Chakan industrial area.

According to him, poor road infrastructure and unresolved traffic congestion issues have caused a significant disruption in the transportation of goods, forcing around 50 units to relocate to other States such as Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Despite repeated complaints and discussions with officials, no progress has been made to address the issues, leading to a loss of jobs in the region. “Is the Mahayuti government doing anything to stop this mass exodus? What does the non-biological PM have to say about the jobs lost due to his government’s negligence?” he asked. 

The former Union Minister highlighted the BJP government’s continued indifference towards the Dhangar community’s long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The Dhangars, constituting nearly 9% of Maharashtra’s population, have been marginalised and face severe socio-economic challenges. 

“Effects of caste-based marginalisation are evident from the Dhangars’ poor performance on Human Development Index indicators, but they have received no support from the Mahayuti government. Last year, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde made vague commitments about studying other States’ methodologies to address their demands for reservation but no meaningful progress has been made,” he said.

Mr. Ramesh said the Congress party has pledged to conduct a caste census to ensure equitable representation for backward communities, including the Dhangars. He demanded to know, “Why have the BJP and their allies ignored the plight of the Dhangars?”