Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Champai Soren was on Sunday under house arrest after protests by tribal organizations against land acquisition for a multi-core government health institute. The police described it as a precautionary step to maintain law and order.
Ranchi city Deputy Superintendent of Police KV Raman said, “Champai Soren has been under house arrest as a precautionary step to maintain law and order in view of the protests by tribal organizations.” He said that in view of the protest, a large number of policemen have been deployed and barricades have been installed at important places.
Police also detained Soren’s son Babulal Soren and his supporters at a police station while going to Ranchi.
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Soren told detention undemocratic
Reacting to detention, Champai Soren termed the move as undemocratic. He alleged that the tribals and their protests have been ordered to be ordered to be under arrest.
Soren told the media, ‘When DSP Saheb came here and said that I do not want to go anywhere today, that is, I do not want to get out of the house, then I understood that he will not let me go anywhere. If the administration and the government have taken any decision, then we will not violate it.
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Dispute over RIMS-2 project worth Rs 1,000 crore
This case of detention is related to the alleged forced acquisition of land for the proposed RIMS-2 hospital project in the city area of Ranchi.
Champai Soren had earlier alleged that the JMM government of the state was ‘grabbing’ the land of tribals. He alleged that the landowners were neither given any notice of acquisition nor compensation.
Soren said, ‘The government is also not ready to show the land documents. I am not against the hospital project. Ranchi has several acres of barren or useless land where the hospital can be built. ‘ He further claimed that the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, Chhotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, and Gram Sabha rules have not been followed in this acquisition.
Tribal rights accused of ‘attack’
Soren linked the dispute with the violation of broad tribal rights. He alleged that the tribals in the state are being ‘attacks’, their lands are being taken away, and the tribals fighting for their rights are being targeted.
He alleged, ‘Surya Hansda, who contested several assembly elections and providing free education to children, was arrested for being a tribal and killed in an encounter.’ Soren had pledged to join the protests on August 24, ‘Hul Joto, Rope Ropo’ (Planting Plant), which has led to their detention in the background.