His fight had virtually isolated the RSS, which had descended in Jharkhand to convert the adivasis to Hindus and make them accept Hindutva as their religion. With Modi in power in Delhi, RSS had once again renewed its mission with much vigour. But before it could accomplish its mission, the diabolic politics of Amit Shah queered the pitch for Modi. The primary reason for BJP losing ground and performing badly in Jharkhand in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 owes to January 31 arrest of Hemant Soren, who was then the chief minister of the state.

This six month incarceration of Hemant has tormented the adivasis. They are not willing to accept the humiliation inflicted on Hemant by lying low. The change in the mood and perception of the common Adivasis was visible when his wife Kalpana Murmu Soren took to streets exposing the conspiracy hatched out by Modi and Shah to implicate Hemant in false and fabricated land grab case. The fight for protection of respect and assertion of identity surfaced in a strong manner. The electoral battle acquired the character of fight for acceptance of Sarna dharma, the religion tribal communities in the Chotanagpur region follow.

Obviously on his release on June 30, the first important decision that Hemant Soren made was to declare a “rebellion” against “feudal forces”, asserting that the opposition INDIA bloc will drive out the BJP from across the country. Jharkhand witnessed the emergence of a rebel and this would not augur well for the rightist and communal forces in the state.

It was coincidence that he made this announcement at his first public speech on the occasion of 'Hul Diwas'. He said; "I have stepped out of my home for the first time post my release to address you on ‘Hul Diwas’. It is a day of inspiration for all of us. Like the Santhal uprising against the British, we declare 'Hul rebellion' to drive out feudal forces not only from Jharkhand but across the country".

On the day that marked the 1855 Santhal rebellion against the British, he said: “I was implicated in false cases... The Centre unleashes its probe agencies to harass those who raise their voice against it. It is only two days that I am out of jail, but the BJP is jittery. Top party leaders are frequenting Jharkhand and conspiring against me again".

Hemant was a changed person. His determination to confront rightist and communal forces was apparent from his assertion that Jharkhand is known as a land of revolutionaries and “we are not afraid of jail, lathi or execution”. While addressing his people he also revealed that Modi and Shah were “conspiring” against him again.

With this announcement of Hemant, there is no ambiguity that Hemant is getting ready for a sustained ideological battle against the RSS and BJP. For some time, Hemant has been asking Modi to recognise Sarna as a separate religion. But Modi has preferred to ignore it. The reason is obvious. Hemant does not only identify with the aspirations of the adivasis of Jharkhand, he has also emerged as the symbol of tribal identity across the country. This has unnerved RSS and Modi. Demand for accepting Sarna as a separate religion is an explicit berate to BJP’s design to describe adivasis as ‘essentially Hindus’. The Sarna code will fructify the long-pending demands of the tribes to get enumerated as a distinct religious community.

It is quite significant that Hemant has been released by the Ranchi High Court just while the state is getting ready for the election. Though the 2024 Jharkhand legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in November–December 2024 to elect all 81 members of the Jharkhand Legislative, Modi-Shah combine is planning to prepone it. Commenting on their move Hemant said; “I dare them to conduct the elections any day they wish to...the BJP's dream of winning assembly elections in Jharkhand will be 'Mungerilal ke haseen sapne...the BJP is naming tribals as CMs in several states but they are just rubber stamps".

One thing is quite clear that self-assertion of Tribal identity is going to be the main issue in the next election, of course their brutal exploitation by the rightist forces and feudal lords would also feature in a pronounced way. It is worth mentioning that in 2020, the Jharkhand assembly had passed a resolution demanding the Sarna dharma code to be included in the census and submitted it to the Centre via the state governor. But Modi government so far has not responded to the demand. Those who follow the Sarna faith are nature worshippers with jal (water), jungle (forest) and zameen (land) as holy entities. They do not practice idol worship or follow the varna system.

If the insiders are to be relied Hemant is going to make the decline in tribal population as a major electoral agenda. In absence of proper job opening, the tribals have to migrate to other states. There they are forced to live a miserable life. They are insulted and humiliated. Their women and children have been the worst victim of trafficking. In his letter to Modi, written nearly a year back, Hemant had mentioned that the tribal population in Jharkhand has declined to 26 per cent and argued that this could have an adverse impact on the policies of tribal development. Exigencies of the situation naturally makes the government take immediate remedial measures and ensure that the adivasis could get worthful employment in their own state.

In a strategic move Hemant not willing to disturb the present structural and functional mechanism. In fact he is learnt to have refused to step in the office of chief minister, by replacing the present incumbent Champai Soren. Instead he would take to streets and go around state addressing the adivasis and urging them to get ready for a decisive battle. (IPA Service)