RANCHI: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on Thursday skipped the ED summons and called it a “harassment tactic” by BJP. “The CM has prior engagements. The ED officials should have got a prior appointment from him and they could have got it easily,” JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya told reporters.
In the afternoon, Soren drove past the ED office in Hinoo to go to the airport and fly to Raipur for the National Tribal Dance Festival while his representatives simultaneously sent the CM’s response to the summons in a sealed envelope to the central agency’s office.
“Why send a summons, come and arrest me,” Soren told reportersat Raipur airport. “Does anyone feel we are ‘chor-uchakkey’(thieves or anti-socials) or murderers? Issue a summons and ask to appear the next day? I had received the invitation to the tribal dance mahotsav about a month ago. For everything, there are some manners and practical aspects. These aspects need to be kept in mind,” the Jharkhand CM said.
Explaining his pre-fixed scheduled visit to Raipur, Soren said he has several appointments lined up. “After that, President Droupadi Murmu is slated to visit Jharkhand on November 15. I don’t think it was a summons
by ED. It is BJP’s call to derail government works,” he said.
BJP lashed out at the CM, claiming he was running away from the probe in fear. State BJP chief Deepak Prakash said, “Bynot appearing before the EDhe (CM) has exposed his deep fear. ”On Tuesday night, the ED had issued a summons to the CM asking him to appear at its office in Ranchi on Thursday. Since the central agency began the probe, it has so far arrested Soren’s aide, Pankaj Mishra, the former mines secretary and at least three businessmen with allegedly close links to the government.
Earlier on Thursday, Soren assured hundreds of workers and sympathisers outside his residence in Ranchi that his government would complete its full tenure of five years despite attempts to bring it down since 2020. Amid loud cheers from the gathering, Soren said, “If I have committed a crime, come and arrest me straightaway. Then the people of Jharkhand will give you a fitting reply. ”JMM workers had gathered outside Soren’s residence to express their anger against the ED summons, party officials said. Soren, who appeared before them along with his cabinet colleagues Champai Soren and Mithilesh Thakur and JMM MPs Mahua Maji and Vijay Hansdak, urged party workers to gear up for the Lok Sabha and state polls of 2024.
“They are trying to create a state of confusion and chaos within the government and the administration by spreading lies that this government will collapse any moment. They (BJP) lost in all the bypolls held since 2019. Get ready and reach every household and tell the people about their conspiracies so that they can be annihilated in the upcoming elections,” Soren said.
In the afternoon, Soren drove past the ED office in Hinoo to go to the airport and fly to Raipur for the National Tribal Dance Festival while his representatives simultaneously sent the CM’s response to the summons in a sealed envelope to the central agency’s office.
“Why send a summons, come and arrest me,” Soren told reportersat Raipur airport. “Does anyone feel we are ‘chor-uchakkey’(thieves or anti-socials) or murderers? Issue a summons and ask to appear the next day? I had received the invitation to the tribal dance mahotsav about a month ago. For everything, there are some manners and practical aspects. These aspects need to be kept in mind,” the Jharkhand CM said.
Explaining his pre-fixed scheduled visit to Raipur, Soren said he has several appointments lined up. “After that, President Droupadi Murmu is slated to visit Jharkhand on November 15. I don’t think it was a summons
by ED. It is BJP’s call to derail government works,” he said.
BJP lashed out at the CM, claiming he was running away from the probe in fear. State BJP chief Deepak Prakash said, “Bynot appearing before the EDhe (CM) has exposed his deep fear. ”On Tuesday night, the ED had issued a summons to the CM asking him to appear at its office in Ranchi on Thursday. Since the central agency began the probe, it has so far arrested Soren’s aide, Pankaj Mishra, the former mines secretary and at least three businessmen with allegedly close links to the government.
Earlier on Thursday, Soren assured hundreds of workers and sympathisers outside his residence in Ranchi that his government would complete its full tenure of five years despite attempts to bring it down since 2020. Amid loud cheers from the gathering, Soren said, “If I have committed a crime, come and arrest me straightaway. Then the people of Jharkhand will give you a fitting reply. ”JMM workers had gathered outside Soren’s residence to express their anger against the ED summons, party officials said. Soren, who appeared before them along with his cabinet colleagues Champai Soren and Mithilesh Thakur and JMM MPs Mahua Maji and Vijay Hansdak, urged party workers to gear up for the Lok Sabha and state polls of 2024.
“They are trying to create a state of confusion and chaos within the government and the administration by spreading lies that this government will collapse any moment. They (BJP) lost in all the bypolls held since 2019. Get ready and reach every household and tell the people about their conspiracies so that they can be annihilated in the upcoming elections,” Soren said.
