SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, February 4: Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren has charged that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) conspired to lodge false cases against Hemant Soren to continue mineral loot in the state.
Addressing a massive rally of party workers on the occasion of the 52nd foundation day of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) here at Golf Ground on Sunday late afternoon, Champai Soren said that the BJP and outsiders were engaged in looting mines for 19 years.
“When Hemant Soren came into power and stopped them from doing so, they slapped false cases against him,” he asserted.
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Sons of the soil
“Jharkhand is a mineral-rich state. Tribal and original residents are the sons of the soil, but they are not the land owners. Hemant Soren initiated a step to make them landowners by fixing 1932 domiciles and 75% job reservations for local youth in private companies. This rattled the BJP and outsiders. They left central agency behind Hemant Soren, which conspired false cases and sent him to jail,” said the chief minister.
JMM founded on Feb 4, 1972
The JMM was founded on the night of February 4, 1972, at Golf Ground Dhanbad by former MP Binod Bihari Mahto, former MP AK Ray and MP Shibu Soren. Since then, the JMM has celebrated its foundation day at Dhanbad Golf Ground. Shibu Soren, affectionately called Guruji by his followers and party workers, used to attend the function with his son Hemant Soren.
Shibu Soren doesn’t attend function
Today, Shibu Soren did not attend the function due to a health problem. Still, his message was read out by Raj Mahal MP Vijay Hansda, in which Guruji had appealed to party leaders and workers to continue to support his sons Hemant Soren and Basant Soren.
Since most of the JMM MLAs are in Hyderabad, only Rajmahal MP Vijay Hansda and Rajya Sabha member Mahua Majhi were at the foundation day function.
Chief Minister Champai Soren alleged that Hemant Soren had demanded houses from the central government for tribal people. When the central government did not give funds, Hemant Soren launched the ‘Abua Awas’ project to provide houses to tribes.
Massive mandate for Hemant Soren
“The BJP has ignored the massive mandate the people of Jharkhand gave to Hemant Soren in 2019. We would continue following the ideal and struggle message of Shibu Soren and Hemant Soren and provide a befitting reply to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election,” said Champai Soren. He also addressed the function in the Santhali language.
