Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato has lambasted the opposition BJP by alleging that it has created confusion among people on the new employment policy of the Hemant Soren government.

“Students are raising slogans that ‘60:40 ( quota) nai chalto”(will not be acceptable), Mahato said while addressing his supporters in his assembly constituency Nala in Santhal Pargana.

The speaker also blamed BJP saying, due to its misinformation campaign, students were asked: “if they had got jobs”. 

Mahato went on to say that though  he had spoken to many intellectuals, politicians, and lecturers of universities, they too were not aware of the “60:40 employment policy.”

When asked, some say “ 60 % reservation for locals and 40 % outsiders”. Then Speaker described its legal meaning.

In fact, 60:40 means CM Hemant Soren had been forced by the judiciary to follow his predecessor and Ex CM Raghubar Das’s notified employment policy - 26 per cent for the ST, 14 per cent for the OBC, 10 per cent for the SC, and 10 per cent for the EWS added by Soren government as per the law enacted by the BJP government at the Centre. 

In total, it is 60 percent quota. The rest 40 percent was left for general communities. This 60:40 employment policy of Hemant Soren was opposed by the Jharkhand State Students Union, an umbrella organization of several student unions. They had enforced many bandhs and held processions and road jams demanding implementation of the domicile policy based on 1932 khatiyans ( land records) which was promised by the Hemant Soren government and which was withdrawn on grounds of legality.

Since many students and youths were critical of the Soren government’s volte-face on quota policy, Mahato appears to have tried to console them by telling his supporters that there were many ways more locals can be provided jobs. “ If Santhali language, knowledge of local history and culture are added in competitive examinations, the appointment of locals can become easy”, said Mahato.