During election campaign in Rajnagar, Jamshedpur, Champai Soren shared his concerns on various issues including threats to tribal identity in Santhal Pargana, highlighting growing infiltration from Bangladesh as a challenge.
On being asked to choose ‘Bharatiya Janata Party’, he replied, ‘Not just 30 years, I have been a committed and hard-working political activist for 45 years. I have been associated with Jharkhand Movement since my student days. I worked with labour movement and fought for labour rights endlessly. We also resisted the forceful displacement of Vanvasis and never rested. Under the able leadership of Guruji, we built JMM from scratch. Ideally, I should have succeeded Guruji as the leader of the movement and then the resultant victory that we got.
He further added, ‘But after his demise, I saw things getting bad and going out of hand in the party. JMM has deviated from the ideals and teachings of Guruji, and I could not have continued in the party for the same reason’.
On asking whether Hemant Soren asked him not to leave or reaching out in any way, he replied, ‘Nobody asked me to stay back. I struggled with Guruji for 45 years as a political activist. How would someone who is 45-year’s old give me any suggestion or command? I was the senior most member of JMM. When I left the party, I thought of founding a new party first. But I am also getting old and frail. Then, BJP approached me and welcome me in their sangathan. Why would I decline it when I see that BJP could be an alternative; a way to mukti for my Adivasi and Moolnivasi bhai and behans. Look what is happening in Santhal Pargana today. It is on fire. Our tribals are getting displaced. Bangladeshi infiltrators are being settled there to wreak havoc on the tribal society’.
On asking about thoughts on Roti, Maati, Beto, he replied, ‘This is not a slogan. ‘Roti, Maati, Beti!’ is our identity. Our Asmita! We fought the British Imperialism from 1850s onwards on these three issues only. We have resisted everybody who have looked at our women with contempt. We have fought every force that has tried to capture our land. And roti, that’s basic, that’s life. It is unfortunate that the issues we fought for decades have come back to haunt us. An inefficient government is responsible for it. The people of Jharkhand will teach a good lesson to JMM this time’.
On being asked about the issue of Love Jihad in Jharkhand whether this is a part of a bigger nexus to grab the land of Adivasis, he responded, ‘The JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand is a harbinger of corruption and destruction. Corruption has peaked during this regime. They are allowing entry of Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators who are indulging in love jihad and land jihad in Jharkhand. There are various cases where infiltrators are marrying Adivasi women to obtain certificates and buy land.
Comments