Tribal leaders stage protest against ED questioning of Jharkhand CM Soren
The demonstration began as tribal bodies assembled at Morabadi ground at 11 am before a protest march to Raj Bhawan, passing through Radium Road and Kutchery Chowk in the heart of the Jharkhand capital.
A day before the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is set to question Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren in connection with an alleged land scam in Ranchi, a section of tribal organisations expressed solidarity with the CM by staging a demonstration against the central probe agency.
The demonstration began as tribal bodies assembled at Morabadi ground at 11 am before a protest march to Raj Bhawan, passing through Radium Road and Kutchery Chowk in the heart of the Jharkhand capital.
The organisations whose banners protesters were holding included Kendriya Sarna Samiti, Kharwar Bhokta Samaj, Bharat Munda Samaj, Bedia Vikas Parishad, Masihi Samaj, Santhal Samaj Dishoom, Adivasi Lohra Samaj, Yuva Sarna Samiti, Bheem Army, Adivasi Sarna Samiti, Tetar Toli Sarna Samiti, Karmali Samaj, besides others.
Protesters shouted slogans like ‘Jo Humse Se Takrayega Choor Choor Ho Jayega’, ‘Kendriya Janch Agency Ka Durupyog Karna Band Karo’, ‘Adivasi Ekta Jindabad’, ‘Jai Sarna’, among others.
Near Raj Bhawan, tribal leaders expressed anger against the probe agency and the Modi government.
“A conspiracy has been hatched to defame the Hemant Soren government since the day it assumed power. The Union government should stop misusing the constitutional bodies for its personal benefit; otherwise, the tribal community will not tolerate this,” said Sanjay Karmali, leader of Karmali Samaj.
Michael Kacchap of Masihi Samaj added, “Pradhan Sevak (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is behaving unkindly and misusing the central probe agency to harass the tribal chief minister, and this is intolerable for tribal society.”
Similarly, over a dozen little-known tribal leaders vented their ire against ED and the Modi government.
A tribal speaker was heard asking people to remain present around the chief minister’s residence during the ED questioning and take action in case of any harsh steps against Soren.
According to officials close to the developments, the protest continued for at least three hours, during which vehicular movement on the road connecting Kutchery Chowk with Kishore Yadav Chowk remained disrupted.
Proper security arrangements were made to maintain law and order, and no untoward incidents took place, the officials added.
“Demonstration remained peaceful,” said the officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, Shailesh Kumar.
As the tribal protested, the district administration beefed up security around the ED office at Hinoo and the CM’s residence for Saturday.
“Three-layer security arrangements have been made for tomorrow around ED and CM residence. There will be no entry for traffic around CM’s residence. It will continue until the interrogation,” senior superintendent of police (SSP) Chandan Kumar Sinha said.