Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed grief over the death of veteran tribal leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, calling him a “grassroots leader” who devoted his life to the upliftment of tribal communities and the underprivileged.
Soren, 81, had been on ventilator support for over a month while undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for a kidney-related ailment. He was admitted in late June. The news of his death was confirmed by his son Hemant Soren, the current chief minister of Jharkhand.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote:
“Shibu Soren rose from the grassroots, dedicating himself to public life with unwavering commitment. He was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities, the poor and the downtrodden. Pained by his passing away.”
A towering figure in Jharkhand politics, Soren co-founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which spearheaded the movement for a separate Jharkhand state carved out of Bihar in 2000.
He served as Jharkhand CM three times but could not complete any term. He also represented Dumka in the Lok Sabha multiple times, served in the Rajya Sabha, and was Union Coal Minister in the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh.
