BJP in Centre suppressing tribals, Dalits, minorities: Hemant Soren

Ranchi: The BJP is attempting to suppress the tribal, Dalit, backward and minority communities in the country, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren alleged. He made the statement after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned him on Thursday for nine hours on money laundering charges, NDTV reported.

Soren, who hails from a tribal community, further alleged on Friday that the BJP government is taking action against only those opposing it. He said the probe against him was a political conspiracy and reminded that Bhagwan Birsa Munda did not bow to the British, implying that he was not going to cower.

"Are all BJP governments absolutely spotless? Action is taken only against those opposing. This is just a political conspiracy. But remember, Bhagwan Birsa Munda did not bow to the British. This won't work," NDTV quoted Soren, who was addressing a 'Jan Aakrosh Rally. Birsa Munda was a 19th-century tribal leader.

He said that he has no problem with the probe agencies but employing them against the non-BJP state governments, whether it is Telangana, Kerala, Bengal or Bihar, is problematic. The agencies should answer whether the BJP governments are "all clean and spotless".

The opposition has been conspiring to fell Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress government ever since it came to power in 2019, he alleged.

He said that the alleged charges of the Rs 1,000-crore scam in stone mining are illogical. Agencies are thinking that he might flee the country, where there was no precedence of politicians fleeing but businesspeople who have robbed people and banks of crores, he said.