RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday alleged that attempts were once again made to "suppress the voice of democracy on the brave and revolutionary land of Assam", after his helicopter was reportedly not allowed to take off due to the Prime Minister's programme in Assam. Soren was then forced to address an election rally virtually in support of a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate.
He also alleged misuse of power during the ongoing Assam Assembly election campaign. “Yesterday, Kalpana ji was prevented from holding a public meeting; today, I was denied permission to meet my brothers and sisters in the Rongonadi and Chabua Assembly constituencies of Assam,” Hemant Soren posted on X.
He questioned whether his opponents truly believe that by misusing constitutional institutions and orchestrating such conspiracies, they can halt the power of the 'Bow and Arrow'? (the symbol of JMM)
Soren added, “For so many years, you have made futile attempts to suppress the millions of exploited and marginalised tribal brothers and sisters of our tea garden communities—how much longer do you think you can hold them back?”
"History bears witness: whenever a voice has been suppressed, it has emerged even louder and more resonant," he added. “On the upcoming 9 th of April, by pressing the button next to the 'Bow and Arrow' symbol, these millions of brothers and sisters of mine will surely settle the score for their struggles. Jai Johar!” Soren posted on X.
Earlier on Sunday, Soren had termed the denial of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Assam tea tribes as ‘national injustice. Soren, in a message on his social media handle, said that this is such an injustice that history will never forgive.
Soren added, “Even decades after independence, governments changed, and leadership shifted, yet the suffering of this community remained unchanged. The most distressing aspect is that even those who made grand promises failed to prioritise this issue.”
He further said, “In fact, even the parties currently in power did not deem it worthy of inclusion in their election manifestos.”
Later, Soren virtually addressed an election rally in support of JMM candidate Bhuben Murari from the Chabua-Lahowal Assembly seat in Assam, alleging that the denial of flight clearance was a deliberate attempt to hinder democratic campaigning and silence opposition voices.
In his speech, Soren highlighted labour and tribal issues in the poll-bound state, asserting that tea garden workers should receive a minimum daily wage of Rs 500.
The Jharkhand Chief Minister’s virtual address is significant as it signals the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s push to expand its political presence beyond Jharkhand, especially among tea garden workers and Adivasi communities in Assam. Notably, Hemant Soren made these remarks while camping in Assam for several days, where he has been actively campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections. The JMM has fielded 18 candidates, mainly in Upper Assam constituencies with a significant population of tea garden tribal workers.