Ranchi/Ramgarh
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday paid an emotional tribute to his father and former Chief Minister, Padma Bhushan awardee and JMM founder Shibu Soren, on his first death anniversary. The Chief Minister first visited Shibu Soren’s residence in Morabadi, Ranchi, where he offered floral tribute to his portrait in the presence of his mother Rupi Soren, wife and MLA Kalpana Soren and other family members.
Later in the day, Hemant Soren reached Lukaiyatand in Nemra, Ramgarh, the ancestral village of Shibu Soren, where he unveiled a life-size statue of the veteran tribal leader at the Sona Sobran Plus Two High School campus.
The programme also included a development fair-cum-distribution ceremony, during which beneficiaries were provided various assets and government scheme benefits. Projects worth around Rs 105.2 crore were also presented for the region.
Addressing the gathering, Hemant Soren said Shibu Soren had dedicated his entire life to the struggle for Jharkhand and the rights of its people, particularly tribals, indigenous communities and the marginalised.
“Guruji is not physically among us today, but his struggle, ideas and contribution will remain immortal,” the Chief Minister said, adding that preserving his legacy and working towards the kind of just and prosperous Jharkhand he envisioned was a collective responsibility.
Hemant Soren recalled the struggles of his father and other leaders who fought for a separate Jharkhand state. He said Shibu Soren had gone beyond the conventional boundaries of politics and made an enduring contribution to giving Jharkhand a distinct identity.
‘Unity is the real strength of society’
The Chief Minister stressed the need for social unity, mutual respect and brotherhood, saying that these were essential to counter forces attempting to mislead and divide society.
Recalling his grandfather and martyr Sobaran Manjhi, Hemant Soren said successive generations had made sacrifices for social upliftment and justice. He urged the younger generation to learn from the struggles of their forefathers and remain committed to the development of the state.
He said Jharkhand was a land of heroes, recalling the contributions of Birsa Munda, Sidho-Kanhu, Nirmal Mahto, Binod Bihari Mahato and Shibu Soren, among others.
The Chief Minister said the statue unveiled at Lukaiyatand would help future generations remain connected with their history and roots. He said the site would also provide a larger space for people to gather in the coming years to remember and draw inspiration from the state’s great leaders.
Meanwhile, tribute programmes were organised across Jharkhand on Shibu Soren’s first death anniversary. Hemant Soren thanked people who gathered across the state to remember the veteran leader despite the monsoon weather.
State ministers, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, MLAs, senior government officials and a large number of people attended the programme at Nemra.
