Guruji was Jharkhand’s Gandhi and Mandela say followers

Ranchi, Aug 4 (PTI) Sixty-year-old Biru Manjhi described former chief minister Shibu Soren as Jharkhand’s Gandhi, who dedicated his life for the uplift of the poor, deprived, oppressed, and tribal communities.
    Tirkey, a follower of Soren’s ideology, accompanied the mortal remains of the co-founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda airport along with thousands of his followers and party supporters.
    "I have been a staunch follower of Shibu Soren’s ideology, which gave a voice to those oppressed for years. He was not only a crusader of Jharkhand movement, but also a social reformer. Soren helped thousands of poor people escape the clutches of moneylenders. He was not mere a leader but Jharkhand’s Mahatma Gandhi."
    Another supporter, Fagu Munda (55), who was waiting outside the Soren’s Morbadi based residence to have a glimpse of him, said he came all the way from Dumka after hearing the news of his demise in the morning.
    "Shibu Soren has a large supporter base in Dumka. There was a time when men and women of distant villages walked 20-30 km to listen to him and also gave him their full support in fight for a separate Jharkhand," he said.
    Munda said, "As Nelson Mandela fought against apartheid system in South Africa, Soren fought against money lenders, who was looting the poor and tribals. He also launched a movement against liquor consumption so that tribals’ be free from its clutches. So, we can also call him as Jharkhand’s Mandela."
    Soren, who was undergoing treatment at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi for over a month for kidney-related problems, died at the age of 81.
    Tribal students from different parts of Ranchi also congregated near the residence of Shibu Soren here and they also formed a human chain in honour of the former chief minister.
    They also held placards and pamphlets with messages reading ‘Antim Johar (last salutation)’ and ‘Guruji Amar Rahe.’
    A large number of women were also seen outside the residence of the Rajya Sabha MP in Ranchi.
    Many of them were also seen crying recalling his contributions.
    "Guruji’s contribution for women cannot be forgotten. After planting paddy saplings, we were not allowed to harvest them by the money lenders. They used to take our harvest. It was Guruji who fought against the practice. Besides, he also launched several schemes for women in Jharkhand," a Sushma Devi, another follower from Ramgarh said.
    JMM worker Fagu Besra, who accompanied the mortal remains of Shibu Soren from Birsa Munda airport, said, "I have been associated with Guruji since my childhood. I also participated in many movements launched by him. If anyone who gave a direction to tribal movement after India’s independence, it was Shibu Soren. He was a towering leader of tribals not only in Jharkhand but also in the country. He had his influence in neighbouring states like Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha."
    Antu Tirkey, another JMM worker, said, "Guruji was a great warrior of independent India. He was not less than a God for tribal, poor and deprived people."

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)