Stop controversy or face music: Cong to ministers

RANCHI: The Congress on Tuesday warned all its five ministers of disciplinary action against them if they do not stop giving controversial statements to the media. The party has advised its leaders to refrain from making any public statements that has anything to do with their policy.
"The ministers and MLAs should not make any policy related statement to the media unless a decision has been taken in the legislative party meeting," said Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) president Sukhdeo Bhagat.
HRD minister Geetashree Oraon stirred a controversy when she talked of baring Bhojpuri and Maghi (regional languages) from Teachers Eligibility Test (TET). TET is a ray of hope for thousands of educated unemployed youth who have been running from pillar to post for a job in Jharkhand. A candidate who clears TET is likely to get a teaching job in the state. If the government bars Bhojpuri and Maghi languages from TET, it would leave over 12,000 candidates ineligible for the examination, a Congress MLA had claimed in the assembly.
A meeting involving Union minister Jairam Ramesh and party in-charge in Jharkhand B K Hariprasad was held at Congress headquarters here. All four ministers expressed their displeasure over Oraon's statement and said it would
weaken the support it enjoys in the state where a large number of people speak Bhojpuri and Maghi. After the meeting Bhagat announced, "The party's official decision is entirely different from the statement Geetashree Oraon has made. The party still holds its previous views on the issue that both these languages would be considered." Bhagat said the students' interests would be protected.
After this Oraon reportedly cancelled a review meeting she was scheduled to hold with Jairam Ramesh. Though party spokesperson Shailesh Sinha said the meeting was cancelled owing to some other urgent work.