Hemant Soren sent to jail for refusing to part ways with INDIA bloc: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led Centre for trying to terrorise former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, and asserted that the JMM leader preferred going to jail rather than parting ways with the INDIA bloc.He was addressing the opposition INDIA blocs Ulgulan Nyay rally at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, which was attended by leaders of the anti-BJP alliance.Hemant Soren was sent to jail for refusing to part ways with the INDIA bloc.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led Centre for trying to ''terrorise'' former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, and asserted that the JMM leader preferred going to jail rather than parting ways with the INDIA bloc.

He was addressing the opposition INDIA bloc’s 'Ulgulan Nyay' rally at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, which was attended by leaders of the anti-BJP alliance.

''Hemant Soren was sent to jail for refusing to part ways with the INDIA bloc. Hemant Soren is a brave person who preferred going to jail rather than bowing down. BJP will be wiped out if it continues to terrorise tribals,'' Kharge said.

Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud, immediately after his resignation as the chief minister.

''Hemant Soren did not make any mistake. If you join hands with the INDIA bloc, you will be sent to jail. But Hemant Soren is brave,'' he said.

Kharge attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he insulted President Droupadi Murmu and the tribal community by not inviting her to Ram temple consecration and inauguration of the Parliament building.

''The BJP considers tribals as untouchables,'' the Congress leader alleged and warned that it will be reduced to 150 to 180 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Hitting out at PM Modi, Kharge said if he tried to scare the tribals, he would be destroyed but will never be able to break the INDIA bloc.

''We are afraid of the public, not of leaders like you (PM). The people are the protectors of the country's constitution,'' he said and questioned what was done for tribals by him.

''What have you (PM) done?..you keep supporting corruption. We will fulfil our 25 guarantees which are all for the poor,'' Kharge alleged and said under Modi's regime prices were spiralling.

''As per Modi, what he has done is a trailer. If this is a trailer, what will happen in future? LPG will cost Rs 1200, unemployment will increase further,'' he said.

Apologising for the delay in his arrival to Ranchi, Kharge said he had to address the party's rally at Satna in Madhya Pradesh as senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is unwell.

''I had to attend the rally here at any cost otherwise I would have committed a sin,'' Kharge said.

Besides Kharge, jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita, jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren, JMM supremo Shibu Soren, National Conference head Farooq Abdullah took part in the public meeting.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and others also attended the rally in a mega show of strength for the opposition bloc.