Assam CM asks Jharkhand govt to resolve agitating SPOs' demands through talks

Ranchi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the Jharkhand government should resolve the demands of the agitating Special Police Officers (SPOs), who have been demanding regularisation of their jobs, salaries and allotment of other due facilities and benefits, by holding talks.

CM Sarma, also the BJP's election co-in-charge for the Jharkhand Assembly poll, on Saturday, visited the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospital in Ranchi and interacted with the contractual SPOs, who were injured in a clash with police personnel here on Friday.

Condemning the police lathicharge on the protesting SPOs, the Assam Chief Minister said that if the government does not settle their demands through talks, then the situation might worsen.

"The SPOs told me that they are not getting salaries regularly. Even during the death of SPOs on duty, no support and help were given. They (SPOs) were not allowed to cast votes through postal ballots," CM Sarma told the media quoting the SPOs.

The SPOs have been demanding regularisation of their salaries/honorarium, allotment of due facilities and benefits besides direct recruitment in the police department.

Opposition BJP has also condemned the "police action" by the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government on the SPOs, who were agitating in Ranchi in support of their demands for the last 17 days demanding permanent employment and other benefits.

The BJP slammed the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government, alleging that it (the state government) failed to fulfill its promises.

CM Sarma earlier in a post on the X said: "I spent some time with the Hindu families in Hazaribagh who were harassed during Muharram. We will not let their struggle go in vain."