Gradually, the Indian masses are turning averse to Modi, losing trust in his leadership, and the prime minister’s image has been taking a beating in recent times. Moreover, the saffron ecosystem is failing to exploit Hindutva slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ to lure people in as was seen in recent assembly elections. In addition, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which is incidentally attracting massive support from the people throughout the journey, has been exposing the ominous designs and patently discriminatory policies of the Modi administration. Hence, to claim that Modi would definitively win the Lok Sabha election this year is a bit of a gamble. Odds are against him. Election strategists and psephologists are not convinced of his victory. In this backdrop, the PM’s bombastic boast does give rise to skepticism over his intentions.

Modi claimed: “My third term is not very far away. It is just 100-125 days away and this time the entire country is saying 400-plus. I don’t usually get into numbers, but given the mood of the country, the NDA will surely cross 400 seats and the BJP will definitely get 370 seats.” His emphatic assertion nonetheless raises fears of massive manipulation, as was witnessed in the alleged 2Gscam case or the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Or, is he resorting to this strategy to fool and dishearten the opposition rank and file and confuse people?

While Modi was boasting of his future win in the Lok Sabha election in parliament, in the assembly of Jharkhand, the former chief minister of the state, Hemant Soren openly accused the Modi government of framing him in a false case. Soren was arrested by the ED only four days back from the Raj Bhawan, while he had gone to meet the Governor, C.P. Radhakrishnan, participating in the confidence seeking motion in the assembly. Soren exposed how Modi plans to secure electoral majority for his government.

Soren laid bare Modi’s nefarious plot to denigrate adivasis for electoral gains. Soren implied that Modi was planning to put the non-adivasis, precisely the Hindu settlers, against adivasis, adding that the Modi-led centre despised Adivasis and Dalits. "The system they created doesn't hesitate to say that they (Adivasis) come from the jungle and should remain there," Soren said in the assembly. This was probably for the first time that the issue of non-adivasis exploiting and despising adivasis has featured in public domain. And this was being engineered by none else but Modi.

Soren said: “Where does so much malice come from? This is beyond my understanding…. We came out of the forest and sat next to them. They want us to remain in the jungle as their clothes started getting stained when we sat next to them.” He added, “If our opponents have their way, we will have to go back to the forest and live the life lived by our ancestors.”

Soren continued: "A black night and a black chapter were added to the democracy of the country on the night of January 31. I think this is the first time in the country's history that a chief minister was arrested inside the Raj Bhavan. I don't remember if this has happened before. I feel the Raj Bhavan was also involved in this episode." He pointed to a nasty conspiracy: "They had been planning this January 31 episode for a long time, since 2022. They were cooking this on a low flame. This dish was not ready... but they served the half-cooked dish and arrested me."

He emphasised: “They think that by putting me behind bars, they will succeed in their plans. But this is Jharkhand. This is a state where, in every corner, an Adivasi, Dalit and backward class (person) gave up their lives to save those of other Adivasis and Dalits.” He added: “I have not accepted defeat and will give a fitting reply to such feudal forces at the right time.”

Soren threw a challenge to Modi: “Today, I have been arrested on the charge of usurping an 8.5-acre plot. If they (the BJP) have the courage, let them furnish documents showing the land registered in my name. If it’s proved, I shall quit politics and leave Jharkhand. Agar hai himmat to dikhaaye (If you have courage then show it, prove it. We have not yet accepted defeat. If they think they can succeed by putting me behind bars, this is Jharkhand where many people have laid down their lives.”

He went on to claim that the ‘conspiracy’ to arrest him was hatched because he comes from a tribal community. “Why so much hate against me? No CM or any other leader of such stature has ever been arrested inside the Raj Bhavan. This happened because I come from the Tribal community. I won’t shed my tears, for you the tears of Adivasis don’t matter.”

Articulating the tribal anger against the BJP, RSS and the central investigative agencies, Soren alleged: "These people (BJP) have been torturing tribals, Dalits and minorities for many years and my arrest on January 31 is also part of such oppression. These people want the tribal community to live in forests like they used to live 50 to 100 years ago. These people (BJP) may put me behind bars, but my party JMM is not going to accept defeat. They do not know that this is Jharkhand and countless tribals here have always fought against exploitation and atrocities. These are the people who are conspiring against us and have not worn the Gandhi cap till date."

"I will not shed tears, because tears have no value for you. When the time comes, I will give a befitting reply to each of their questions and conspiracies. They never want anyone from the tribal community to complete his five-year term as Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Forget me, even in their own party these people did not allow any tribal Chief Minister to complete his five-year term," he said.

Soren has thoroughly exposed the façade of RSS and Modi’s so-called sympathy for the tribals. Modi must not have dreamt that his boast would receive such a severe shock within minutes of his assertion. Since Soren has emerged as the tribal face across the country, this humiliation meted out to him is being perceived as revenge by Modi. Soren said on the floor of the assembly: “The BJP doesn’t want a tribal chief minister to complete five years in Jharkhand, they did not allow this in its regimes.”

He went on to accuse the BJP of mistreating all Adivasi and Dalit communities, of denying them of their dignity. “They are not ashamed to say things like, ‘These people came from the jungle and should stay in the jungle.’ We have come out of the jungle and reached their level, but they look at us as untouchables. I was working to break these perceptions. My government was working to uplift the very communities they are looking down upon. I have not given up. They think that by putting me in jail, they will win. But this is Jharkhand. This is state where from every corner, our Adivasi, Dalit, backward community fighters have laid down their lives for their communities,” Soren said.

Soren added: “We were told on January 22 that ‘Ram Rajya’ has come. The first step of that was in Bihar. The second step was in Jharkhand, when an Adivasi chief minister was arrested. …I have no regrets whatsoever. Maybe now they will say I cannot fight elections. But Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has always fought for the state’s dignity, rights, and more, and it will continue to do that, whether the fight is electoral, legal or on any other standard. We have never stepped back, and we won’t step back now.”

Soren’s aggressive posture makes it amply clear that Modi lives in his make-believe world, far from the simmering discontent in the ground. His insinuation against Congress and opposition parties would not bestow upon him with the rose petals of a smooth victory. He also must not nurse the view that opposition and Congress have been politically finished. Had the Congress been indeed written off, then what is the rationale of Modi consistently harping and naming Congress? His portraying Rahul Gandhi as a “Pappu” and incessant misguided attempts to belittle Congress have only lowered his image in the eyes of the people, who have come to nurse the feeling that Modi has one point agenda, abuse Congress, and is not concerned of the welfare and development of the poor. (IPA Service)