Former Jharkhand chief minister and veteran tribal leader Shibu Soren was cremated with full state honours in his village Nemra in Ramgarh district on Tuesday. The JMM patriarch, fondly called ‘Dishom Guru’ (leader of the land), died on Monday at the age of 81.
His eldest son, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, lit the funeral pyre amid chants of ‘Guruji amar rahe (Long live Guruji)’. Political leaders from across the country came to Ranchi to pay their last respects. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge could not attend the funeral as their helicopter could not take off from Ranchi but they reached Nemra by road to meet Hemant and console him.
Former Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also reached Nemra, while former Union minister Arjun Munda and AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto came on a motorcycle due to massive traffic jams on the roads. AAP MP Sanjay Singh, TMC MP Shatabdi Roy and Purnea MP Pappu Yadav also paid their last respects to the tribal icon.
As the flower-decked open carriage with Soren’s mortal remains made its way from Ranchi to Ramgarh, thousands lined the roads, chanting the leader’s name, holding posters and flags to bid farewell to the man they knew as their leader and guardian.
In Nemra, outside the modest mud house where Soren spent his childhood, a sombre atmosphere prevailed as friends, family, party workers and villagers gathered to bid a final adieu with moist eyes.
Lagan Bhai Soren (90), who had travelled from Chandil, Jamshedpur, sat quietly in front of the house, remembering a “friend” with whom he had participated in many movements.
“We called each other ‘Guru’ from the heart,” said Lagan Bhai. “We grew up together. We led a simple, vegetarian life. We stayed away from alcohol, meat and anything excessive. That’s what we believed in.”
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He recalled being by Soren’s side in the early days of the Adivasi struggle. “From the first day of the movement, whether it was for Adivasis’ rights or against exploitative moneylenders, we stood together. We were never afraid. Guruji would say, ‘we don’t take from others. We only accept what’s given with respect’.”
During one protest, Lagan said he lost all his belongings. “Only a dhoti and vest remained”, but Soren ensured he got slippers and food. “That was the kind of man he was,” he said.
Bhairav Soren, 55, who stays about 200 metres from Soren’s house, said the tribal leader was like his “big brother”. “We are from the same clan in the Santhal community. He was like a big brother. We didn’t speak daily, but we shared roots. He knew everyone’s names in the village,” he said.
Although Bhairav did not participate in the political movements spearheaded by Soren, his family always supported his work. “My father died before I was born. The village elders told me how my father was involved in the movements with Guruji. He (soren) brought pensions, electricity to the village. He gave us dignity,” said Bhairav.
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Many of Soren’s followers from Tundi, Dhanbad, were disappointed as they were not allowed to pay their last respects. Bhagwan Murmu (42), one of the supporters from Tundi, said, “It is a well-known fact that Guruji launched the Dhan Katti Andolan, which was against the Mahajani Pratha (moneylending system), from Tundi. Yet, we were not given a chance to see him one last time.”
Soren had been the leader of the JMM for the past 38 years. As a mark of respect, the Jharkhand government declared a three-day state mourning till August 6.
