On December 16, 2022, CJI DY Chandrachud had observed: “No case is too small for the Supreme Court. If we do not act in matters of personal liberty and grant relief, then what are we doing here?" Actually, Soren had accused ED of harassing him and indulging in witch-hunt. It is an open secret that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been abusing the Enforcement Directorate for his personal political gain and inflicting a reign of terror on the opposition leaders.

After taking over as Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud had said: “Preservation of civil liberties transcended the confines of mere legalities and emerged as the essence of democratic ethos. This crucial juncture demands a delicate equilibrium between privacy, surveillance, and free speech, especially in the vibrant tapestry of India, where the implications hold profound significance.”

In a landmark judgment in 2017, the Supreme Court of India had declared privacy as a fundamental right. CJI had also observed: “Life and personal liberty are inalienable rights. These are rights which are inseparable from a dignified human existence. The dignity of the individual, equality between human beings and the quest for liberty are the foundational pillars of the Indian constitution…Life and personal liberty are not creations of the constitution. These rights are recognised by the constitution as inhering in each individual as an intrinsic and inseparable part of the human element which dwells within.”

Modi has been humiliating and insulting the opposition leaders through the ED and CBI for close to 10 years now. After the formation of the INDIA bloc, malafide use of ED has increased many fold, and this is being done on fabricated grounds. ED has been harassing Soren for long. He had earlier responded to its summons, after it became clear that it was doing this purely with the intention to tarnish his political image and send message to the Adivasi people of the country at the behest of its political masters, that he skipped obliging its diktats.

Soren had even filed a writ petition in the top court challenging the summons issued against him after it was issued for the second time on August 19, asking him to appear before the ED zonal office in Ranchi. That the ED nursed malafide intention was clear from its summon asking him to appear before it on September 9, the day dinner was hosted by Rashtrapati Bhavan for G20 Summit leaders in New Delhi, which the former Jharkhand CM was due to attend.

Ominous intentions of ED became clearer on January 29. A team of ED visited Hemant Soren’s Delhi residence to question him in connection with the alleged money laundering investigation. He was not at home. Under a well-planned design, the ED team camped there for over 13 hours, and while leaving it, sent word across that Soren had absconded, and could not be contacted by the federal agency. This was indeed the most deplorable act of ED. It tried a "false" narrative to "delegitimise" Soren’s stance.

This was despite the fact that after receiving the summon, Soren had informed the ED of his willingness to record his statement on January 31, 2024 at 1 pm at his Ranchi residence. Obviously, the ED could have gone to his place on the day assigned by him. But no. It harboured the ulterior design to malign and humiliate Soren and force him to surrender to the diktats of Modi.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court casting a blind eye to the ED’s shenanigans has only strengthened Soren’s resolve to keep fighting the political machinations of Modi. It is a widely discussed issue in public domain how Modi kept on giving extension to the former ED director SK Mishra and used him to hound opposition leaders. He was removed only after SC intervened and directed Modi government to bring in a new director. Soren has been a target of Modi for two main reasons: first he was not allowing Adani to dictate the state government and concede more pristine forest land for mining; second, Soren after the formation of the INDIA bloc has emerged as a strong public face of the anti-saffron forces. With him in Jharkhand, Modi was finding it tough wooing the Adivasis in the state.

Through selecting close aide Champai Soren as the leader of INDIA bloc in Jharkhand, Soren has also sent a frank and discernible message that the anti-saffron forces were ready for protracted struggle and would not surrender to the diktats of Modi. Incidentally, Champai Soren is an old time comrade of the veteran tribal leader Shibu Soren, when he worked with renowned Marxist leader of Dhanbad, A K Roy. Champai is a revered leader of the tribals.

Modi had envisaged that after a magnanimous triumph in Bihar, he would install his own government in Jharkhand. But he was mistaken. Soren defeated him in his game. Modi could not break the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand, which chose its new chief minister in Champai Soren within twenty hours of Hemant’s arrest. Though Modi made last minute effort to scuttle the INDIA move, could not succeed. The 67-year-old tribal leader was sworn in as the 12th chief minister of the state on February 2. He became the sixth CM from Jharkhand’s Kolhan region, comprising East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.

Modi and his lieutenant Amit Shah were sure of the success of their plot. A demoralise and dejected INDIA bloc would not have risen to the challenge. But Jharkhand witnessed a strong and rejuvenated INDIA raring to take Modi head on. This development has also enthused Rahul Gandhi, who Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Jharkhand on February 2. While Gandhi accused the 'corrupt' BJP of destroying democracy, he also called upon the adivasis and poor of the state not to be cowed down by the machinations of Modi and the saffron ecosystem. He said ED and the CBI had ceased to be the government’s agencies and become the BJP’s 'Erase Opposition Cell'.

Hemant Soren’s arrest and his resignation as chief minister has simply strengthened the resolve of the tribals and INDIA partners to fight what they have described as Narendra Modi’s vindictive politics to crush opponents. These sources say that Rahul may stay for one more day, beyond the schedule, in Jharkhand to express his solidarity with the tribals of the state.

At a time when leaders like Mamata Banerjee have been distancing themselves from the INDIA bloc, it is encouraging for the alliance that Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin posted on X: “Outrageous and shameful! The arrest of Hon’ble Jharkhand Chief Minister Thiru @HemantSorenJMM is a blatant display of political vendetta by Union BJP Govt. Using investigative agencies to harass a tribal leader is a new low. This act reeks of desperation and abuse of power. BJP’s dirty tactics won’t silence opposition voices. Despite BJP’s vindictive politics, Thiru @HemantSorenJMM stands strong, refusing to bow down. His resilience in the face of adversity is commendable. His determination to fight back against BJP’s bullying tactics is an inspiration.”

Even ailing Lalu Prasad, who only two days back underwent a severe grilling for eleven hours by the ED, said: “The autocratic government is harassing the popular Adivasi chief minister Hemant Soren. The reprehensible machinations of the BJP can trouble leaders for some time but can’t defeat the resolve and aspirations of the backwards, Dalits, minorities, tribals and other weaker sections. The world understands the BJP’s intimidation tactics. We are firmly with Hemant.”

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) also declared its support to Soren while the AAP recalled how many leaders escaped the clutches of investigative agencies by joining the BJP. “Go to jail or join the BJP. That’s BJP’s politics,” said AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also extended support to Soren. “Hemant Soren stands like a wall against the corrupt BJP and crony capitalists who wanted to exploit Jharkhand’s natural resources. Every single Jharkhandi will cast his vote against this conspiracy.” (IPA Service)