Jharkhand chief minister (CM) Hemant Soren on Monday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of forgetting the promises it makes during general elections, while his state government has been fulfilling all the promises made to the people.
Speaking at a gathering after paying tributes to the martyrs of the Kol Rebellion at Serengsia Valley in West Singhbhum district on Monday, he said, “The BJP tries to lure gullible tribals by making false promises during elections. But your Abua Sarkar (own government) has been fulfilling all the promises made to you. We are giving ₹2,500 per month to women under the Maiya Samman Yojna. We are providing loans of ₹15 lakh through the Guruji Credit Card on the government’s guarantee for higher education. We intend to build the Jharkhand that our predecessors had dreamt of. The martyrs had dreamt that tribals become doctors, engineers, lawyers, and officers. We have brought several schemes for you to fulfil that dream.”
Earlier, the CM and his wife, Gandey MLA Kalpana Murmu Soren, paid floral tributes to the brave martyrs of the Kol Rebellion against the British during 1837–38.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the CM and his wife, Gandey MLA Kalpana Murmu Soren, paid floral tributes to the brave martyrs of the Kol Rebellion against the British during 1837–38.
{{/usCountry}}The CM said that his government was not one being run from Ranchi but from the villages.
“The administration is reaching your doorsteps in villages through our ‘Sarkar Aapke Dwar’ (government at your doors) programme. We must not forget the dreams of our martyrs. Building that dream in Jharkhand is our priority. That is why we have brought schemes in the fields of education, health, employment, tourism, and agriculture, etc.,” said Soren.
Serengsia Valley is mentioned in golden words in the history of India’s freedom struggle. The tribals, mostly from the Ho tribe, launched a rebellion against the British in Serengsia Valley in 1837–38, which is known as the Kol Rebellion, the first organised resistance to British rule.
On February 2, 1982, assistant sales tax commissioner Dr Devendranath Sinku, during undivided Bihar, started the tradition of observing Martyrs’ Day every year in Serengsia Valley, where the battle was fought in 1837–38.
As per records available so far, 26 brave tribals sacrificed their lives in the battle with the British, and many more were later hanged to death by them.
Adivasi Ho Samaj Mahasabha has been organising Martyrs’ Day to pay tribute to the martyrs and holding archery and football competitions, cultural events and village fairs for the past 43 years.
Presently, there are martyrs’ memorials of Poto Ho, Boro Ho, Pandua Ho, Devi Ho, Bugni Ho, Kerse Ho, and Nara Ho. The martyrs’ memorials were beautified with ₹76 lakh in 2022 under the DMFT fund.
“We want Martyrs’ Day to be observed on January 2 because it is the correct date in 1838 when our brave heroes sacrificed their lives in the battle against the British with bows and arrows, in which over 100 British soldiers were also killed,” Gabbar Singh Hembram, national general secretary of Adivasi Ho Samaj Yuva Mahasabha (AHSYM), told HT on Monday.