Before CM Hemant Soren’s appearance before ED on November 18, he alleges that ED is involved in a conspiracy to destabilize his government.
On Thursday, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said that the ED probe against him is part of a bigger conspiracy by the BJP’s central government to destabilize the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress state government (JMM).
While addressing the press conference, he refuted all the allegations against him regarding the illegal mining case and accused the BJP of colluding against him.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
He pointed out Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais for not taking a call on the Election Commission’s view on the mining case, which is leading to political instability in the state. He said that the governor hasn’t even opened the envelope and is holding on until the opportune time. The alternate opinion sought by the governor from EC is fully unconstitutional. Nonetheless, when we asked the EC about this, we got to know that he hasn’t demanded an alternate opinion.
The JMM supporters assembled outside CM Soren’s Ranchi residence and protested against the ED summons.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren remarked, “Today, I’ve to go to the ED office as I’ve been issued the summons in connection with the illegal mining probe. I sent a letter to the ED in this regard saying that the talk about the Rs. 1000 crore scam from the Sahibganj district is very unfortunate. Even in the entire state, Rs. 1000 crore isn’t earned per year through mining. The basis for the claim is beyond comprehension.”
CM Soren said that the allegations against me are groundless, and he has written a letter to the ED questioning a 1,000-crore scam, saying that if sand and stones are so precious, they should be included in the list of major minerals.
He also said that he’s holding a constitutional post and the nature in which summons are being issued seems that we’d run away from the country. Till now only businessmen have run away from the country.
“Today, I’m holding a constitutional post. The way summonses are being issued, it seems that we’re the persons who want to flee the country. In my country’s history, I do not think apart from businessmen, a leader of any political party has fled the country. Because of this action, suspicion arises in the state. This can be a ploy to destabilize the government. The opposition has been busy trying to topple the government since the time our government was formed.”
ED summons in the mining case
Jharkhand CM Soren was preliminarily asked to appear before ED on November 13, but he passed over the summons speaking of his pre-planned programs. Pankaj Mishra, the political representative of Soren was arrested in this case. ED has carried out numerous examinations in various parts of the country, in the past many months. ED’s 162- page charge sheet filed contains the names of Mishra and his associates- Prem Prakash and Bacchu Yadav as the main accused in the scam.
