Jharkhand’s political and social fabric was steeped in grief as Union Ministers Jual Oram, Annapurna Devi, and Sanjay Seth, alongside Governor Santosh Gangwar and Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato, paid heartfelt tributes to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) co-founder Shibu Soren at the Jharkhand Assembly on Tuesday. The veteran tribal leader, fondly called ‘Dishom Guru,’ passed away at 81 on Monday, August 4, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, following a prolonged battle with kidney-related ailments and a recent stroke.
Soren’s mortal remains, draped in a tribal ‘gamcha,’ arrived at the assembly premises around 10:30 am, accompanied by his son, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a flower-decked hearse. The monsoon session, which began on August 1, was adjourned sine die, with Speaker Mahato stating, “His demise is an irreparable loss not only to Jharkhand but to the nation. He was known for his fight for the poor.” Slogans of ‘Guruji Amar Rahe’ echoed as legislators, JMM workers, and thousands of mourners gathered to honor the tribal icon.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram described Soren as an inspiration, vowing to follow his path, while Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi lamented the “unfillable vacuum” left by his passing. Governor Gangwar laid a wreath, praising Soren’s lifelong dedication to tribal identity and empowerment, saying, “His contribution to political, social, and cultural fields will remain unforgettable.” BJP legislator Raj Sinha called him a “guide and mentor,” and Congress leader Rajesh Thakur hailed him as “Jharkhand’s creator.”
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Chief Minister Hemant Soren, alongside state ministers Irfan Ansari, Dipika Pandey Singh, and Shilpi Neha Tirkey, joined cross-party legislators, including former JMM ally and now BJP leader Champai Soren, who broke down at Soren’s residence. Senior officials, including DGP Anurag Gupta and Principal Secretary Avinash Kumar, also paid their respects.
Soren, a three-time chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP, led the JMM for 38 years, championing the Jharkhand statehood movement, realized in 2000. His final rites will be held with full state honors in his ancestral village, Nemra, Ramgarh district, approximately 70 km from Ranchi. The state has declared a three-day mourning period, with government offices closed and the national flag at half-mast.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to attend the funeral, underscoring Soren’s towering legacy.
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