‘Criminal’ pleading for punishment, those in authority silent: Soren on office-of-profit case

The CM said: “Have you ever heard of any example in the country in which a criminal or an accused is pleading for punishment or to know about the quantum of punishment? I have been appealing to His Excellency (the Governor) to announce the verdict.”

“Mein chhati peet peet kar bol raha hoon mujhe saja do, mujhe saja do (I am pounding my chest, asking for punishment),” he said.

“Our representatives met him (Governor), I met the Governor. We even applied through RTI to know the details,” Soren whose JMM-led coalition government will be completing three years in December said.

He also attacked the BJP-led Central government, alleging that it has been misusing agencies such as Enforcement Directorate besides constitutional authorities to create disturbance in states ruled by non-BJP parties.

To questions on the domicile policy decision, Soren said: “Please wait and see… citizens of every segment will be taken care of…their feelings will be respected by the government. Please be assured that people who are here and those who will be coming in future, the proposals will be made keeping them in mind.”

To the CBI’s preliminary inquiry report submitted to the Lokpal in which the agency has alleged that he and his family members didn’t disclose all properties in the affidavit to the EC, Soren said: “There is a mentality among people…always trying that Adivasis, Dalits, and people from Backward Classes never progress in life. They entangle us and we remain entangled. The same has been done against our Guruji (Shibu Soren) and not against me… most Adivasis are not capable of fighting back but that doesn’t mean there is none who can fight.”

On the ED’s recent prosecution complaint in a Ranchi court, alleging illegal mining of stone chips worth Rs 1,000 crore in Sahibganj district alone, Soren said: “If Rs 1,000 crore worth of illegal mining of stone chips can take place in one district then I will request the Centre to declare the stones as major mineral and coal as minor. This is strange.”