Oppn rallies behind J’khand former CM, BJP hits back
Opposition leaders in India have accused the ruling BJP-led government of suppressing the voice of the opposition through federal agencies. This comes after former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested on money laundering charges. Soren has moved the Supreme Court against his arrest, and opposition leaders have criticized the government for its actions. The BJP, on the other hand, has alleged that Soren indulged in corruption and that his arrest is in accordance with the law.
A day after former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested on money laundering charges by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), several leaders from the opposition INDIA bloc on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government of suppressing the voice of the opposition through federal agencies.

“Had Hemant Soren joined the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) there would have been a different scene. He would have been washed through BJP’s washing machine... BJP has created an authoritarian, absolutist and autocratic system in the world’s largest democracy...” Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.
Soren on Thursday moved the Supreme Court against his arrest and Singhvi, along with senior advocate Kapil Sibal, will represent him when the top court will hear the matter on Friday.
Singhvi also questioned Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan’s alleged delay in action on appointment of a new chief minister despite the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-RJD alliance having a clear majority in the state assembly.
“I want to ask a fundamental constitutional legal question for which we have only received stunning silence...Yesterday in the Jharkhand assembly where the whole world knows that the figures are roughly 47 or 48 majority and roughly 33 or 32 opposition. After the chief minister had submitted his resignation to the governor and a new chief minister with the numbers known was proposed. Why has the governor been paralyzed into inaction for the last 18 hours?” he added.
Soren (48), who is also the executive president of the JMM, an INDIA bloc constituent, was arrested soon after he stepped down as the chief minister following his questioning by ED in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land deal in Jharkhand on Wednesday.
Describing Soren’s arrest as “outrageous and shameful”, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said the action against the JMM leader reeked of desperation and abuse of power by the BJP government at the Centre.
“The arrest of Hon’ble Jharkhand Chief Minister Thiru @HemantSorenJMM is a blatant display of political vendetta by Union BJP Govt. Using investigative agencies to harass a tribal leader is a new low. This act reeks of desperation and abuse of power. BJP’s dirty tactics won’t silence opposition voices,” Stalin, who is also the chief of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), posted on X.
West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee alleged the BJP was imprisoning opposition leaders to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “BJP is putting everyone in jail only to win the election,” she said.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav posted in Hindi on X: “Jharkhand will not bow down! The anti-tribal face of the BJP is coming to the fore in Jharkhand…”
The BJP, however, alleged that Soren had indulged in corruption and added that action against him was in accordance to the law.
“Hemant Soren ji kept saying that he should be arrested if he has done something wrong... He has been arrested because he did something wrong,” Jayant Sinha, the Lok Sabha MP from Hazaribagh, said. “We the people of Jharkhand could see how corrupt this government is.”
(With agency inputs)
