INDIA bloc dubs BJP 'Anti Tribal' as they criticise arrest of Hemant Soren

New Delhi [India], February 1 : Members of the INDIA bloc have hit out at the arrest of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren by the ED alleging that the BJP was using agencies to destabilise governments.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the arrest of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chairperson Hemant Soren in a land scam case and said that the "anti-tribal face of BJP" is coming to the fore in Jharkhand.
Taking to his social media handle, Akhilesh Yadav posted on X, "Jharkhand will not bow down! The anti-tribal face of the BJP is coming to the fore in Jharkhand. Jharkhand's courageous warrior Shri Hemant Soren ji has always been committed to protecting the tribals and tribal areas of BJP and stood as a wall in front of the corrupt politicians and capitalists of BJP so that Jharkhand can be saved from exploitation. That is why they are being treated so badly. This is an insult to the public opinion of Jharkhand. That is why every resident of Jharkhand will vote against BJP this time and BJP will have to face a historic defeat."
"In fact, BJP is considering itself badly defeated in front of the big issues of inflation, unemployment and corruption, that is why it wants to save its power by toppling the governments, at some places by arresting the elected Chief Minister and at some places by forging the ballot papers," he said.
"BJP has already lost the 2024 elections morally, now only its political defeat is yet to be announced. Seeing such undemocratic actions of the BJP, even those who voted for them have already retreated this time. In the PDA which we are continuously talking about, the tribal society is also included along with the backward classes, Dalits, minorities and half of the population i.e. women and the oppressed and unhappy people among the advanced people," he added.
"BJP is anti-PDA. Overall, PDA is the name of unity of 90 per cent population of our country, BJP is afraid of this unity and wants to divide us by showing fear of raids and arrests. PDA has become a nationwide movement," the post said further.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also took a hit at the centre-led BJP party and alleged that the Modi government, which put opposition leaders in jail by misusing ED, CBI and IT, is now hatching another conspiracy
Taking to X, Jairam Ramesh posted, "To make false allegations against the opposition to hide his crime is the way of 'Ahankaracharya'! The Modi government, which has put opposition leaders in jail by misusing ED, CBI and IT, is now hatching another conspiracy."
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi also hit out at the centre alleging misuse of central agencies
"ED, CBI, IT etc. are no longer government agencies, now they have become BJP's 'eliminate opposition cell'. The BJP itself, steeped in corruption, is running a campaign to destroy democracy in its obsession with power" Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.
In a video message released on Wednesday, Hemant Soren said that the fight for the rights of the Adivasis and Dalits will continue.
"After a full day of questioning, they decided to arrest me in matters which are not related to me. No evidence has been by them found yet. They also tried to spoil my image by conducting raids at my Delhi residence. We have to fight a new fight now against those who commit atrocities against the poor, Adivasis, Dalit and the innocent" he said.
After a prolonged moment of speculation in the media Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chairperson Hemant Soren was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the land scam case late on Wednesday night.
Earlier, JMM Chief Hemant Soren met Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhawan and handed over his resignation after over six hours of questioning by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Transport Minister Champai Soren, who was named as JMM legislative party leader, wrote a letter to Governor CP Radhakrishnan, staking a claim to form the new government in the state.
Champai Soren, the state transport minister, is a seven-time MLA and he represents the Seraikella constituency in Jharkhand. Before joining the JMM, he was an independent MLA.