People's Democracy

JHARKHAND

THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) wants the law to take its own course, without any provocation or hindrance, in respect of Chirudih case involving union coal minister Shibu Soren.

But, BJP, as usual, has resorted to falsehood and distortion of facts to mislead the people and has been trying to influence the judicial process.

First, Babulal Marandi, national vice-president of BJP and former chief minister of Jharkhand, raises Soren’s issue, related to case No.30 of 1975 of Narayanpur police station of Jamtara district, in the Mumbai conclave of his party after defeat of BJP in Lok Sabha election and Shibu Soren becoming a minister of UPA government. Following this, the fast track court judge Uday Narayan Choudhury wrote to Superintendent of Police of Jamatara on June 24, 2004 asking him to arrest the accused persons in this case. Immediately, Babulal Marandi and a Hindi daily, started propaganda that Shibu Soren was an absconder’.

But, on judicial record Shibu Soren is on bail. This had to be confirmed by the chief minister Arujn Munda. Despite this ball, people should know, as to how or whether fast track court issued any warrant of arrest against Soren by name? Advocate general of Jharkhand publicly stated that he had no knowledge of it. chief minister Arjun Munda made DGP R R Prasad a scapegoat by removing him from the post, for bringing out the fact about Shibu Soren’s bail when asked for by the chief minister. It did not serve the propaganda purpose of BJP.

Secondly, when Arujn Munda government decided to withdraw all cases related to Jharkhand movement, including this case of 1975 in which Sbibu Soren was allegedly involved, and when many cases, including the case in which Arjun Munda himself was involved were withdrawn, why, after initial steps, withdrawal process of this case was not pursued?

Thirdly, an attempt is being made by BJP to show that the movement, led by Shibu Soren during 1973-75, was criminal in nature and that Chirudih incident was directed against Muslim minorities. Whatever might be shortcomings of Shibu Soren in leading the movement at that time, the fact remains that it was basically a movement for restoration of tribal lands and was not communal in nature.

The stand of BJP will encourage landlords, land mafia and land usurpers in Jharkhand who dispossessed the tribals from their lands. Tribal chief minister in Jharkhand is only a mask of BJP-RSS. In reality BJP-RSS is opposed to the restoration of tribal lands and against the spirit of land struggles led by legendary tribal leaders like Tilka Manjhi, Sidhu-Kanhu, Birsa Munda. It is for this very reason BJP wants amendments in Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts to legitmatise the tribal lands in possession of land usurpers. (INN)