Jab Hamare Purvaj Angrejo se nahi darey, to hum tumse kiya darenge: Hemant Soren
Before the questioning, Jharkhand chief minister had also written a letter to ED and raised many points to highlight how a 1000 crore loss of state exchequer (in stone mining) in Sahebganj district is not possible
Ranchi: A day after appearing before the Enforcement Directorate officials in Ranchi, chief minister Hemant Soren seemed unfazed. He addressed partymen and not only called for the unity of tribal (Adivasis) and indigenous (Moolvasis) people of Jharkhand but also warned the ‘conspirators’ that when their forefathers were not afraid of the Britishers during British Raj then how could they get afraid of from them.
Hemant Soren flanked by the JMM and alliance partner Congress legislators, parliamentarians as well as leaders delivered a fiery speech before the party workers who had gathered from across the state in the state capital.
He did not name the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in his speech but made sharp attacks by calling it ‘they.’
“They also put respected Shibu Soren inside jails for years, showing the bones of the animals. But what happened? They couldn’t malign his name. Instead under his leadership, we get a separate state,” Jharkhand chief minister began his speech with the history of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder Shibu Soren better known as Guruji.
“Now, being the locals, you have to take the responsibilities as well. Else, people from other states like Gujarat, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will come and rule here. In the coming times, only Adivasi-Moolvasis will be sent to the Vidhan Sabha, Lok Sabha,” said Soren before the JMM cadres.
He also claimed that in future, Adivasi and Moolvasi will be placed ahead in every sector.
“We will not let our forefather’s hardship go in vain. We have seen in the last twenty years how they have treated us like idiots. Now the time has arrived to give them same treatment.”
Soren stressed upon the unity of Jharkhandis, “Only our unity can save this state, the rights of locals. Every Adivasi-Moolvasi has to come under one roof then only will your rights be saved.”
He also mentioned about people in far-flung areas, now being benefitted from the government schemes. And told that government officials too were harassed during earlier regimes, they were dejected but now they are working diligently.
Soren said, “But they thought that the Adivasis and Moolvasis are fools, by using police and agencies they will get feared and become silent. But they are forgetting one thing, when our forefathers weren’t afraid of Britishers, how we will get afraid of them.”
The chief minister recalled Jharkhand’s history during British rule. “Not a single person, but hundreds of our ancestors sacrificed their lives. People give an example of one Jaliawala Bagh, but several Jaliawala Baghs had taken place here.”
Before ending his speech, Soren addressed the workers like a leader of an army, “Aagey jo bhi tufan/ musibat ayega, pehle humse takrayega, fir iss rajya mei ghusega (In future, whatever trouble/storm will come, first it will have to face me before entering the state).”
On Thursday, before appearing at ED officials, he shared a letter with media persons, which he wrote to the ED and raised questions on the whopping figure in the alleged corruption against him by the agency, for which he was called before the agency.
In the letter, the chief minister not only claimed that he is with the agency in the fight against illegal mining and that in the last two fiscal years (since his government is in power), the royalty collection from mining in the state has increased, but also showed the calculations that the alleged loss of 1000 crores in state exchequer due to illegal stone mining in Sahebganj district is not possible.
He cited that a total of 9 crores metric tonnes of stone has been mined in the state, and Sahebganj has only a 20 percent share in it.
“In order to evade royalty of Rs 1000 crores in two years, over 8 crores metric tonnes (mt) of stone is required to be illegally mined in Sahebganj that is 4 times the legally mined quantity in the district,” the letter mentioned in one of its points.
And further writes, “In order to transport over 8 crores mt stone in two years, in excess of 20,000 rakes or 33,00,000 trucks would be required as the capacity of each rake is about 4000 mt and each truck is about 25 mt.”
“Railways does not permit loading of rake without submission of mining/mineral challan,” he said while raising another point.
“It appears that you have not identified loading of even a single rake without requisite challan as you have not taken action against any Railway officer,” he questioned.
ED questioned the Jharkhand CM for over 9 hours in its Ranchi office, on Thursday.