Shakeel Ahmad addresses reporters in Ranchi on Wednesday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, April 6: The Congress is planning to press upon its central leadership to consider declaring President’s rule in Jharkhand, in response to the ruckus in the capital over the anti-encroachment drive.

A Congress delegation — including representatives of Naga Baba Khatal and Islam Nagar, whose houses had been demolished during the ongoing drive — will meet Governor M.O.H. Farook and request him to send his report to the Centre on the current state of affairs in Jharkhand.

“It is for the governor to decide whether he will recommend declaration of President’s rule. But the constitutional machinery in Jharkhand has fully collapsed. The official machinery attacked a Union minister yesterday (Subodh Kant Sahay) in broad daylight, while the police opened fire on innocent protesters,” the party’s Jharkhand affairs in charge, Shakeel Ahmad, said at a press conference today.

State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu and media convenor Radha Krishna Kishore were also present.

Ahmad arrived in the capital this afternoon and headed for the funeral of Mohammad Rehan, alias Golden, who was killed in yesterday’s violence. He went to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences to enquire about the injured persons and also visited the Naga Baba Khatal.

Finally, he ventured into Islam Nagar, where the demolition drive was stopped this afternoon following a Supreme Court order.

“This only exposes the Arjun Munda government’s real intentions. It wants to uproot maximum number of persons from their houses before the Supreme Court’s order reaches it. It often takes actions merely on the basis of a news flash on the television. But we are firmly with the residents of the localities in question,” Ahmad added.

He alleged that the Munda government had misguided the judiciary by not giving correct information. Ahmad questioned if the settlements were illegal, how were they supplied with electricity and on what basis schemes were from local area development funds of MLAs and MPs approved and executed earlier.

Replying to another question, he said Sahay had only shouldered his responsibilities as the Ranchi MP by sitting on a dharna to protest the demolition yesterday.