Ranchi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Champai Soren was placed under house arrest Sunday in view of a protest by tribal outfits against land acquisition for a state-run health institute in Ranchi, police said.
The protesters alleged that police lathi-charged and fired tear gas shells to disperse them from the site of the proposed project in Nagri area of the city.
Police said tear-gas shells were used to disperse the crowd in view of the prohibitory orders imposed in the area.
Soren’s son Babulal, along with supporters who were on their way to Ranchi, were also detained, they said.
“Champai Soren is under house arrest as a preventive measure to maintain law and order in view of the tribal outfits’ protests,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (City) KV Raman told PTI.
Soren, however, described his house arrest as undemocratic.
“No matter how much force the government uses, not a single inch of land will be allowed to be taken,” he said.
Protesters on their way to the capital from districts such as Seraikela-Kharswan, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Giridih, Gumla, Simdega and Khunti districts were stopped by the police, he alleged.
“The government wants to acquire the land forcibly. I am not against the hospital project, but it could be built on barren or unused lands,” he added.
Over 20 tribal groups, along with farmers and landowners, called the ‘Hal Joto, Ropa Ropo’ (plough field, plant saplings) demonstration at the site where the Rs 1,074-crore RIMS-2 project will be developed.
The new hospital has been planned on 207 acre of land as an expansion of the state’s apex healthcare facility, the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).
Crossing barricades, people from different places gathered at the site with placards having photos of former CM Shibu Soren along with his message, ‘Harwa toh joto na yaar… kaise bachega?’ (plough the field… else how will you survive?).
Many protesters were also wearing masks of Shibu Soren, whose son Hemant is the chief minister of the state.
Despite the heavy security, some protesters could reach the site and plant saplings.
Meanwhile, the barricades put up to stop the demonstrators caused trouble for commuters.
“I live in the Ring Road area, but I am not allowed to go to my home,” claimed Basant Kumar Mahato, 50, alleging that he was stopped near Chandni Chowk in Kanke.
Health Minister Irfan Ansari had said last month that RIMS-2 will have 2,600 beds for patients, and 100 undergraduate and 50 postgraduate seats for medical students.
Reacting to Soren’s house arrest, state Congress general secretary Rakesh Sinha said no one can be allowed to spread chaos.
He claimed that after the coalition government was voted to power for the second time, BJP members got frustrated, “especially Champai Soren, who was dreaming of becoming the chief minister again”.
State BJP chief Babulal Marandi termed Soren’s house arrest “murder of democracy”.
“Not even an inch of the tribal land will be allowed to be taken. The BJP will protect the rights of the tribal society and their land in every situation,” Marandi, the leader of the opposition, posted on X.
Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth said, “House arrest of former Chief Minister @ChampaiSoren, who raised his voice for the rights of Nagdi’s tribal indigenous farmers, is a black mark on democracy.”
PTI
