Jharkhand Election 2024: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sita Soren broke down on Sunday while addressing the media, discussing the alleged derogatory remarks made by Congress minister Irfan Ansari about her. Soren, who is contesting the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly polls from the Jamtara constituency, spoke out a day before filing her nomination papers. Ansari, who is also contesting from the same seat as the Congress candidate, allegedly made the controversial remarks after submitting his nomination on Thursday.
Sita Soren, visibly emotional during her press interaction, said, “Ansari has been targeting me since my candidature from the seat was announced. But, the derogatory remarks he made after filing his nomination are not acceptable. It is an insult to women of the tribal community. The tribal community will never forgive him.”
She further mentioned, “The way he made a comment against me, does he not know who I am, whose wife I am, and which house I belong to? My father-in-law and husband started an agitation for Jharkhand. All of our community and the women are hurt… I will not forgive him. Our community has decided that he will not be allowed to enter Adivasi villages. Irfan Ansari is a minister in the INDIA Alliance government. It is also the responsibility of those who made him the minister. There should be some discipline. Just because my husband is no more, he (Ansari)…,” before breaking down.
हेमंत सोरेन, एक आदिवासी महिला जो रिश्ते में आपकी भाभी हैं, आपके स्वर्गवासी बड़े भाई की धर्म पत्नी हैं उनके खिलाफ ऐसी अभद्र भाषा का प्रयोग करने वालों का आपका मौन समर्थन शर्मनाक है।
जो व्यक्ति आपकी भाभी मां के स्वाभिमान की रक्षा नहीं कर सकता वो झारखंड की बहन-बेटियों की क्या रक्षा… pic.twitter.com/scWc0AOwxq
— BJP JHARKHAND (@BJP4Jharkhand) October 27, 2024
Sita Soren is the widow of Durga Soren, the eldest son of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren. She joined the BJP earlier this year after a rift with her family over the chief minister’s position following Hemant Soren’s resignation and subsequent imprisonment in a money laundering case. Hemant Soren is Shibu Soren’s younger son.
As Soren struggled with her emotions, BJP’s Nawada MP Vivek Thakur, who was present with her, stepped in to console her. Criticising the Congress leader’s remarks, Thakur stated, “The BJP will protest over it not only in Jamtara but across the state”, news agency PTI reported.
Adivasi Dignity Is Nothing For Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren: BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam CM and BJP’s election in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari’s alleged statement as he told news agency ANI, “Our party condemns the words used by Irfan Ansari against Sita Soren. But I want to condemn Hemant Soren more for not taking action against someone who made such objectionable statements against his sister-in-law. Adivasi dignity is nothing for CM Soren… The daughter-in-law of Shibbu Soren is insulted and Hemant Soren says nothing… Adivasi people will teach them a lesson in the elections…”
#WATCH | Ranchi: On Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari’s statement, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, “Our party condemns the words used by Irfan Ansari against Sita Soren. But I want to condemn Hemant Soren more for not taking action against someone who made such objectionable… pic.twitter.com/nKxlNpidmC
— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2024
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) took cognisance of the incident on Saturday, issuing a notice to the Jharkhand government and demanding a report within three days regarding Ansari’s remarks.
The controversy escalated when the Jharkhand BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Ansari on Friday. The complaint accused him of making derogatory statements against Sita Soren, claiming that his remarks disrespected both the tribal community and widows in the state. The BJP has urged the commission to prevent Ansari from filing his nomination and sought a criminal case against him.
Sita Soren also posted a video of the alleged remarks on X (formerly Twitter), asking Ansari to apologise. Meanwhile, Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi called upon the Chief Minister to remove Ansari from the JMM-led alliance, given the controversy.
कांग्रेस @INCIndia प्रत्याशी इरफान अंसारी ने नामांकन के तुरंत बाद मीडिया के सामने मेरे लिए जो अमर्यादित भाषा का प्रयोग किया है, उसके लिए उन्हें माफी मांगनी होगी। पहले भी उन्होंने मेरे बारे में व्यक्तिगत बातें बोली हैं, लेकिन इस बार उन्होंने सारी सीमाएं लांघ दी हैं। इरफान जी… pic.twitter.com/MceNhscoxS
— Sita Soren (@SitaSorenMLA) October 25, 2024
Responding to the accusations, Ansari dismissed them, claiming that the video shared by the BJP was tampered. He stated, “I have not even mentioned Soren in the original video,” and announced his intention to file a complaint against the BJP and Soren.