BJP snapping at heels, realpolitik dictates Hemant Soren’s Ram Temple stand

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren: Haven’t received invitation to visit Ram Temple inaugration. Will definitely visit once I get the invitation as I visit all religious sites. Whether it is temple or mosque! @IndianExpress 1/n

— Abhishek Angad (@abhishekangad) December 28, 2023

The statement came at a time when parties in the INDIA bloc remain divided over attending the ceremony and at home, Soren is faced with a BJP that is more active than ever. Since the appointment of Babulal Marandi as the state president, the BJP has aggressively taken on the CM’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). On Thursday, the party released a “chargesheet” on the alleged failures of the JMM government.

“Soren’s statement was one of the most mature ones and he is acting as per the Constitution,” said a source in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). “He is the head of the state and irrespective of his personal belief, he is part of all kinds of religious festivals showing that he welcomes all religions. For example, he brandished a sword during Ram Navami procession saying how Ram is relevant today. Similarly, a few days ago Hemant Soren met Archbishop Felix Toppo celebrating the Christmas festival. During the Eid festival too he will be part of the various gatherings and wish people.”

The Jharkhand CM, government insiders said, does not want to play the BJP’s game. “Soren has been able to instil in everyone’s mind that he welcomes all religions and that people have the right to practise their faith without any fear, as any head of the state should, unlike the BJP. At the same time, he refrains from making any sensitive comment and hurting any religion.”

But while he manages to dodge controversy over the Ram Temple inauguration, he has another problem on hand at home as the divide in his party’s base of Adivasis seemingly deepens over the Sangh demand of de-listing Christian converts from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. On December 24, an RSS affiliate organised a “de-listing rally” to demand that reservation benefits not be provided to tribals who converted.

While the organisers of the rally — the Janjati Suraksha Manch (JSS) —say “in their essence, Adivasis are Hindus”, it is not a belief held by a large section of the tribal community. In 2021, Soren sparked a row when he said Adivasis were never Hindus and that tribals had a separate religious identity called Sarna. Soren has written to the Centre this year too to seek a separate religious code for tribals.

A leader close to the CM said, “Adivasis are not Hindus and it is a fact. Now efforts are on to bring them into the Hindu fold, which will be countered by Soren. It is yet to be seen if he continues to act as per the Constitution or he gets swayed by the need for realpolitik.”