Tribals plan protest against ED near Jharkhand Raj Bhawan

Ranchi, January 18:A day before Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren in connection with an alleged money laundering charge tribal organisations have threatened protest at Raj Bhawan on Friday against the federal agency.

As many as five tribal organisations Kendriya Sarna Samity, Rajhi Parha Sarna Prarthana Sabha, Adivasi Sena, 22 Parha Samity and Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad and Hatia Visthapith Morcha will demonstrate from 11 am near Raj Bhawan in Ranchi.

“The ED is being used by the BJP-led Centre to harass elected state government in Jharkhand. There are repeatedly summoning a tribal chief minister who had already answered them in November 2022. Since last year they have been issuing summon and this year they even threatened that if chief minister does not attend to their summon then they will come to him. We have also seen the Governor supporting the ED and this is the reason we are staging the protest near Raj Bhawan,” said Kendriya Sarna Samity president Ajit Tirkey.

He said that tribals from several districts will be participating in the demonstration.

In the backdrop of protests against the Enforcement Directorate’s summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Governor CP Radhakrishnan had on Wednesday said the ED is doing its duty and the CM should provide the right answers to the probe agency.

Speaking to reporters after a private varsity convocation ceremony in Ranchi, the governor emphasised that no chief minister is above the law.

According to sources, the ED had sent a letter to Soren on January 13 asking him to be available for questioning between January 16 and January 20 in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam. In response, Soren informed the ED that his statement can be recorded on January 20.

When asked about concerns regarding the law and order situation on January 20, Radhakrishnan said, “Why would the law and order situation be affected? The ED is simply doing its duty. It is the chief minister’s responsibility to provide the appropriate answers to the agency.” Regarding the alleged anger among the public over the ED summons, the governor questioned, “Why should the public be angry? If you want to become a leader, you must be prepared to provide answers.”

On Tuesday, JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya had told reporters that there is anger among people over the action of ED.

To oppose the ED summons, the JMM had called for a nine-hour bandh in Sahebganj on Wednesday during which ruling party workers disrupted traffic and forced shops to close in various parts of the city and other areas of the district, including Barhait, which is the chief minister’s assembly constituency.