Traders in power in Assam, Centre marginalised Adivasis: Jharkhand CM

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday alleged that those in power in the Centre and Assam were traders and not politicians, and that they marginalised the tribal community and were focused only on extracting resources. Soren alleged that tribals in Assam continued to struggle for basic rights and recognition despite their central role in sustaining the tea industry.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday alleged that those in power in the Centre and Assam were ''traders and not politicians'', and that they marginalised the tribal community and were focused only on extracting resources. In Assam, where elections are due in March-April, Soren claimed that tea tribes were marginalised despite their significant contribution to the economy of the northeastern state. ''Those in power in the country and in Assam -- these people are not politicians, they are traders. They only know how to take, not to give anything. It is essential that we (tribals) stay united. We are the soldiers of such ancestors, such guides, on a path that leads to the destination, to stability, and to security,'' Soren posted on X after addressing a tribal gathering at Assam's Tinsukia. ''We are people who live with self-respect, people who walk with eye-to-eye contact. These people had even thrown me in jail. I had told them, if I come to the forefront, I will become a bone in their throats. Today, your son, and brother led the tribal society on the world's largest global platform -- the World Economic Forum,'' he added. Addressing the gathering organised by the All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam (AASAA), Soren said Adivasis across the country were being deliberately kept weak through policies of division and neglect. ''The people in power do not want the exploited and deprived sections of society to become strong,'' he said. Soren alleged that tribals in Assam continued to struggle for basic rights and recognition despite their central role in sustaining the tea industry. ''The tea industry runs on the blood and sweat of Adivasis, yet they remain on the margins,'' he alleged. He accused the Assam government of following a ''divide and rule'' policy by splitting tribal communities into categories such as STs, tea tribes and others to weaken their collective strength. Soren also alleged that ministers were attempting to undermine tribal programmes and gatherings. He warned that any attempt to suppress tribal voices would be resisted. ''We are the children of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda. If the need arises, the entire Adivasi society of Jharkhand will stand with the Adivasi society of Assam,'' he said. Criticising opposition parties, Soren said welfare schemes introduced by his government were being copied elsewhere but implemented only temporarily during election periods. ''As soon as elections are over, their schemes end,'' he alleged. Assuring the gathering of continued engagement with tribal organisations in Assam, Soren said he would remain in touch with community leaders to address their concerns, recalling the role played earlier by his father, the late Shibu Soren, in supporting Adivasi struggles in the state. Referring to his own political struggles, Soren said he had been jailed by his opponents for raising his voice and asserted that intimidation would not silence him or the tribal movement. Soren said that about 56 lakh women in Jharkhand were receiving Rs 2,500 every month under a social security scheme, which had been implemented consistently for the past two years. He claimed the scheme had helped women become financially independent and play a greater role in shaping their families' futures. Soren said Jharkhand had suffered for years under governments that did not represent its people. ''If we had not taken charge again, perhaps Jharkhand itself would not have survived,'' he said. Soren alleged that despite continuous attempts by opposition parties to destabilise his government through ''misuse of constitutional institutions'', his administration had stood firm. Referring to the 2024 assembly elections, Soren said the people of Jharkhand had returned his government to power with an unprecedented mandate. ''Never in history has any government received such massive blessings from the people of Jharkhand,'' he claimed. Earlier, Soren, in a letter to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, had expressed deep concern about the plight of 70 lakh tea tribe community members in Assam and sought ST status for them. ''I am acutely aware of the significant challenges faced by the tea tribes in Assam, more so because a majority of them are the indigenous tribes of Jharkhand, including Santhali, Kuruk, Munda, Oraon and others, whose ancestors migrated during colonial rule to work in tea plantations. ''I very strongly feel that they meet the criteria for ST status, including their distinct cultural identity, traditional way of life, and vulnerability to exploitation,'' the letter read. He had said that although most of the ethnic groups of the tea tribes are recognised as STs in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, Assam continued to classify them as OBCs.

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