Shibu Soren passes away
Former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren passed away on Monday, his son and current chief minister Hemant Soren confirmed. Shibu Soren, 81, was a prominent tribal leader and founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). He also served as chief minister of the state. He was admitted to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in the last week of June with a kidney-related issue.
Founded the JMM
Shibu Soren had been the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for the past 38 years and was recognized as the party’s founding patron. At the age of 18, he formed the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh. In 1972, two other leaders alongside Soren formed Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and he became the general secretary of JMM.
Member of the Union Cabinet
He previously served as the 3rd Chief Minister of Jharkhand, first for 10 days in 2005 (from 2 March to 12 March), then from 2008 to 2009, and again from 2009 to 2010. He also served as the Minister for Coal in the Union Cabinet three times: in 2004, from 2004 to 2005, and in 2006.
Member of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
He lost his first Lok Sabha election in 1977. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Dumka. An arrest warrant was issued against him. He was subsequently elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991 and 1996 as well. In 2002, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. He won the Dumka Lok Sabha seat in a by-election the same year and resigned his Rajya Sabha seat. He was re-elected in 2004.
Life imprisonment and acquittal
On 28 November 2006, Soren was found guilty in a twelve-year-old case involving the kidnapping and murder of his former personal secretary, Shashinath Jha. The CBI chargesheet stated that Jha's knowledge of the reported deal between the Congress and the JMM to save the Narasimha Rao government during the July 1993 no-confidence motion, and an act of sodomy was the motive behind the murder.
Resignation as a Union minister
Soren resigned from his post as Union Minister for Coal after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanded that he do so in the wake of the verdict. This is the first case of a Union Minister of the Government of India being found guilty of involvement in a murder. On 5 December 2006, Shibu Soren was sentenced to life imprisonment
Condolences pour in
Condolences and prayers poured in for the Soren family right after Soren's son and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren shared the news of his father's death on X. "Beloved Dishom Guruji has left us. I lost everything today," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Soren and expressed his condolences. "Shri Shibu Soren Ji was a grassroots leader who rose through the ranks of public life with unwavering dedication to the people. He was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities, the poor and downtrodden. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Spoke to Jharkhand CM Shri Hemant Soren Ji and expressed condolences. Om Shanti," PM Modi said on X.