Jharkhand Assembly passes resolution seeking Bharat Ratna for ex-CM Shibu Soren

Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday, passed a resolution seeking Bharat Ratna for former CM Shibu Soren.

The resolution, moved by Transport Minister Dipak Birua, was passed by voice vote, reported PTI.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder Shibu Soren passed away on August 4 while undergoing treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi. He was 81.

What happens after a resolution is passed?

Notably, the passed resolution will next be submitted before the Central government for further approval.

Once approved, Shibu Soren will be awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously.

Who is Shibu Soren?

Shibu Soren, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP played a key role in Jharkhand's creation. He left behind a legacy that reshaped the country's politics.

Soren was also the founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha – the current ruling party in Jharkhand.

He was the face of tribal identity politics in Jharkhand. His political life was defined by continuous advocacy for tribal rights. Soren's death marked the end of a political era that saw the tribal movement rise to national prominence.

Soren's party soon became the primary political voice for the demand for a separate tribal state and got support across the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana regions.

Early life of Shibu Soren

Shibu belonged to the Santal tribal community. He was born on January 11, 1944, in the Nemra village of Ramgarh district, then in Bihar.

According to Soren's family, his early life was marked by personal tragedy and deep socio-economic struggles.

Soren was 15 years old when his father, Shobaran Soren, was allegedly killed by moneylenders in Lukaiyatand forest in 1957. This left a deep impact on him and became a catalyst for his future political activism.

He was just 18 years old when he co-founded the Santhal Yuva Mukti Morcha. Later, he was revered as the co-founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in 1972.