Raghuram Rajan panel vindicates Ajsu's demand: Sudesh Mahto

RANCHI: Former deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto today said clubbing Jharkhand among the least developed states by the Raghuram Rajan panel vindicated his Ajsu party's ongoing agitation for according special status to the state.

"The Raghuram Rajan panel placing Jharkhand among the least developed states in the country has established that our ongoing agitation for special status to put the state's development on the fast track is justified," Mahto said here.

After organising a token hunger-strike at various places across the state, the Ajsu is on "Adhikar Yatra" now.

It has proposed to organise a 'human chain' from Hazaribagh's Barihi to East Singhbhum district's Barhagora on October 2 to press for its demand.

"We will continue with our agitation till our demand is fulfilled," Mahto added.

Jharkhand was placed fifth among the ten least developed states based on the new index of backwardness to determine which states require special assistance.

The panel ranked Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh as the most backward states in that order.