Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Hopes for Arvind Kejriwal’s Release, Accuses BJP of Humiliating Judiciary
New Delhi [India], July 13: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren accused the ruling BJP of humiliating the judiciary and expressed hope that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would be released from jail soon. Soren made these remarks after meeting Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.
He stated, “I hadn’t met Sonia Gandhi after coming out of jail; that is why I came to meet her. Discussions for the Jharkhand Assembly elections will continue… Indians are very tolerant and cooperative. They tolerate a lot until they cannot and then they make themselves heard by voting. The BJP has humiliated the judiciary. I hope Arvind Kejriwal will be granted bail soon.”
Kejriwal received interim bail from the Supreme Court on Friday in money laundering charges linked to the excise policy case. However, he remains in jail due to a separate arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Hemant Soren was released from Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months, following bail from Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. On July 8, Soren won the floor test in the Jharkhand Assembly with 45 MLAs voting in his favor, securing his position as Chief Minister for the third time.
Soren had resigned as Chief Minister before his arrest on January 31. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges related to an alleged land scam and money laundering. In a video message, Soren accused the BJP of making false allegations against him, stating, “In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, the people of Jharkhand gave our party mandate but the conspirators were unable to digest how an Adivasi youngster can sit in such a high position. At last, on January 31, they (the BJP) made false allegations against me and removed me from the post of Chief Minister. Because of the people’s blessings, I’m out here sitting in front of you. We will always be the voice of the people.”
Hemant Soren’s return as Chief Minister is expected to strengthen the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which won three seats in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand in the Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, JMM fought the assembly elections in alliance with the Congress and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), securing a comfortable majority with forty-seven seats in the 81-member house.
