Shibu Soren, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and the respected patron of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), passed away on Monday, August 4th. Soren, who was 81, died at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where he was being treated for a month and a half. His son, Hemant Soren, the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand, announced his death.
The body of Shibu Soren was brought to Ranchi from Delhi on a special flight. Hemant Soren and his wife, Kalpana Soren, accompanied the remains. Thousands of people, eager to bid farewell to ‘Dishom Guru,’ gathered at Birsa Munda Airport and along the roads.
JMM workers and leaders chanted ‘Dishom Guru Amar Rahe’ as a tribute. A large crowd gathered to see him one last time. The body was then taken to his residence in Morabadi.
The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at noon in Nemra, his ancestral village in the Ramgarh district. It is expected that Basant Soren will perform the last rites.
Congress state president Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will be among the attendees at the funeral in Ranchi. Leaders from several other parties are also expected. Before this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu offered their condolences. Congress President Kharge, Misa Bharti, Manoj Jha, Rahul Gandhi, and several RJD leaders met with the family at the hospital.
The Jharkhand government has declared a three-day state mourning period. Shibu Soren had been ill for some time, and had been on life support for the last month.