JMM’s Hemant Soren files complaint against Jharkhand CM for casteist slur

raghubar das

Opposition leader and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) Executive President Hemant Soren has filed a complaint against Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das at the Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe Police Station in Dumka alleging that the CM used casteist slurs against him at the Mihijam in Jamatara Assembly during his poll address. Soren demanded that a case against Das be filed under the SC / ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

मुख्यमंत्री ने इससे पहले भी सदन से लेकर कई सभाओं में अभद्र भाषा और गालियाँ का इस्तेमाल किया मेरे ख़िलाफ़। पर मैंने ना कभी उनके स्तर पर जा कर, और ना कभी इस पर ध्यान दिया।
पर जब बात मेरे पिता, आदरणीय गुरुजी समेत पूरे परिवार को भरी सभा में ‘अभद्र’ भाषा के साथ सम्बोधित किया – pic.twitter.com/xgFhELN8Yf
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) December 20, 2019

अधिवास यो को अपमानित करने का रघुवर दास का तरीका पुराना है। झारखंड के आदिवासीयो को भाजपा वाले हाथो कघ कठपुतली समझते है। लेकिन @HemantSorenJMM को मुख्यमंत्री बना करके झारखंड की समस्त जनता उन्हे मुँहतोड़ जवाब देगी #आदिवासी_विरोधी_ठगुबरदास pic.twitter.com/Rk11Q3A9mt
— JMM Koderma (@JMM_Koderma) December 20, 2019

झारखण्ड के मुख्यमंत्री @dasraghubar ने एक झारखण्डी और आदिवासी संघर्षशील परिवार के लोगों पर बेहद जातिसूचक अभद्र टिप्पणी की है। इसको लेकर @HemantSorenJMM जी ने कल एससी-एसटी एक्ट के तहत मुकदमा दर्ज करा दिया हैं। माँग की है, इन्हें तुरन्त गिरफ्तार किया जाये। #आदिवासी_विरोधी_ठगुबरदास pic.twitter.com/mWpBvzywpj
— Hansraj Meena (@ihansraj) December 20, 2019

Soren told reporters, “I have filed a complaint with the Schedule Tribe and Schedule Caste police station in Dumka against the chief minister, who used objectionable words on my caste during a poll meeting at Jamtara’s Mihijam on Wednesday. His words hurt my feeling and honour. Is it an offence to take birth in a tribal family?”

Dumka Sub Divisional Police Officer Pujya Prakash said that a written application had been received by Soren personally and based on the same, further action would be taken.

JMM General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya addressed a press meet after the incident. He said that the entire party and the people of Santhal had been insulted by Das’ comments. “The party has filed a complaint at Jharkhand CEO’s office against Das and has sought stern action against him as it is matter of pride of entire Jharkhand. During the election campaign we also have used very aggressive words against our opposition parties but we never used such kind of words which can hurt people. This is matter of shame and it will be not accepted. The party is strongly condemning it”, he said.

BJP is currently on shaky ground in Jharkhand after its alliance with the All Jharkhand Students’ Union (AJSU) went kaput. Its chief whip MLA Radhakrishna Kishore, after being denied a ticket, joined the AJSU. Principal spokesman Praveen Prabhakar too quit the party to contest separately from a ticket by the National People’s Party (NPP) after he asked the BJP to do some ‘soul searching.’

The votes too are now tilted in the favour of the grand alliance of the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal with the JMM, which has a legacy in the state, giving more reasons to BJP to suffer from heartburn. It is aware of the challenge to stop the Tribal-Christian-Muslim front that is against it. While the JMM alliance bringing up issues like the age-old exploitation of the tribals and the matter of ‘Jal, Jungle, Zameen’ and tribal rights, the BJP is still going on about Pakistan and making speeches clearly meant to incite communal sentiments. Whether this will or won’t work with the people of Jharkhand will soon come to light.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the complaint filed by Hemant Soren against CM Raghubar Das comes after the BJP filed a complaint against Soren for using inappropriate words against the Hindus asking the Jharkhand State Election Commission to book Soren and Priyanka Gandhi on the charges of treason.

This complaint and counter-complaint seems to have heated up in the run-up to the Jharkhand Assembly election results. Who will get catch the bait and who will get the boot, only time will tell.