Nation mourns tribal leader Shibu Soren’s death; tributes pour in from across political spectrum

Leaders across party lines hailed his decades-long struggle for tribal rights and statehood. President Murmu and PM Modi led the tributes

Ranchi: Cutting across party lines, tributes poured in from across the country on the death of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren on Monday. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha co-founder 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.

President Droupadi Murmu condoled the death of Shibu Soren and said his demise was a big loss in the space of social justice. “The demise of Shri Shibu Soren Ji is a big loss in the space of social justice. He championed the cause of tribal identity and formation of the state of Jharkhand,” Murmu said in a post on X.

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The President said that besides his work at the grassroots, Soren also contributed as the chief minister of Jharkhand, as a Union minister and as a Member of Parliament.

“His emphasis on the welfare of the people, especially the tribal communities, will always be remembered. I extend my deepest condolences to his son and chief minister of Jharkhand, Shri Hemant Soren Ji, other family members and admirers,” she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Shibu Soren, saying he was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities and the poor and downtrodden.

“Shri Shibu Soren Ji was a grassroots leader who rose through the ranks of public life with unwavering dedication to the people. He was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities, the poor and downtrodden,” he posted on X.

In a post on X, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “He struggled for decades for the rights and empowerment of the tribal community in Jharkhand. With his simple personality and humble nature, he connected with the masses.”

In his condolence message, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “He fought all his life for a separate Jharkhand state and for the rights of its people to water, forest, land and for the protection of tribal culture.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “A strong voice of the tribal society, Soren ji fought for their rights and interests throughout his life. His role in the creation of Jharkhand will always be remembered.”

Expressing grief over Shibu Soren’s death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said a chapter of Jharkhand’s history came to an end.

BJD supremo and former Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik, said Shibu Soren would be remembered for his dedicated fight for the rights of the tribal and marginalised people. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Soren’s life was dedicated to the well-being of the deprived, tribals, and labourers.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said his struggle for the rights and honour of the tribal society will always be remembered. “The long struggle of Shibu Soren for the rights, honour and upliftment of the tribal society will be remembered forever,” Gupta said in a post on X.

Paying tributes to Shibu Soren, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy hailed his struggles for the formation of Jharkhand and his efforts to address the problems of tribals.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla said Shibu Soren would be remembered as a tireless champion of tribal rights and social justice. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wrote on X, “His significant contribution to Jharkhand’s politics is noteworthy. His passing has caused an irreparable loss not only to Jharkhand but also to the political and social spheres of the entire country.”

RJD president Lalu Prasad spoke of “memories of our joint struggles” for achieving “social justice and empowerment of deprived classes”. Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav said Soren’s historic contributions to social justice and tribal welfare will always be remembered.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the former Jharkhand chief minister dedicated his life to the upliftment of tribal society. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said Soren was a towering figure in Indian politics and a dedicated statesman who served the people with unwavering commitment.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote on a social media post, “Thiru Shibu Soren’s life was defined by relentless resistance against exploitation and an unshakeable commitment to social justice. As one of the key architects of Jharkhand’s statehood movement, he transformed decades of Adivasi assertion into a political force that gave birth to a new state.”