Teenage rebel who sowed the seeds for statehood movement

Time of India

2 days ago

Ramgarh/Dhanbad: The journey of Shibu Soren from a rebel teenager to 'Guruji' began at a tender age of 13, when he swore to fight economic oppression which plagued the tribal communities of the then unified Bihar for generations, following the death of his father.
Shibu's fight against the moneylenders, who murdered his father Sobhran Manjhi, eventually gave birth to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The party would then go on to dominate the political landscape of the region Eventually, Shibu would become synonymous with the outfit itself.
JMM, formed on February 4, 1973, would then set the foundation for a much larger struggle – the demand for a separate state. Social reformer and educationist Binod Bihari Mahto, along with trade union leader A K Roy, joined hands with Soren to give this movement a broader political shape.
Alarmed by Shibu's growing popularity and influence, then Bihar govt led by CM Jagannath Mishra invoked MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) to arrest him but failed.
JMM central committee member Fagu Besra said, "Shibu gave up studies after his father's murder in 1967 and took up the tradition weapons of tribal people, the bow and arrow, to fight the atrocities against the community. Later, bow and arrow went on to become JMM's party symbol.
"Shibu started the "Dhaan Kato" (reap paddy) agitation as agricultural lands of Santhals were forcibly occupied by moneylenders after trapping them with lending money. Lands were forcibly captured, and poor Santhals were forced to work on their own land as labourers," Besra said. He added that the local administration banned "Dhaan Kato" agitation and warned Shibu to surrender but he didn't budge.
"They issued orders to catch Shibu alive or dead, and the police started a massive search operation but failed to locate his whereabouts," he recalled, adding that Shibu hid in caves of Parasnath hills in Giridih district spending nights in caves and forests.
Shibu came in touch with Roy and Mahto in 1970s and formed Sonat Santhal Samaj. Mahto, who was running one Shivani Samaj along with Roy, merged their outfits to form Jharkhand Liberation Front. While Mahto became its president, Shibu was its general secretary.
"However, a dispute among the three friends began over the issue of Lalkhand and Jharkhand. Mahto and Roy wanted to struggle for Lalkhand, while Shibu Soren wanted to carry on the agitation for Jharkhand, saying that Jharkhand is green and would not agree to convert green into red," Besra, who conducted three decades of research on the life and struggle of Shibu, said.
"Jharkhand Liberation Front was later translated into Hindi, and the new outfit was named Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Nirmal Mahto was made president, and Shibu became general secretary. Shibu became JMM president in a historic golf ground meeting in 1973 in Dhanbad," he added.
Recalling the dramatic events of the first foundation day of JMM on February 4, 1974, Khedan Mahto, a close associate of Shibu said, "We were celebrating the JMM foundation at Golf Ground (now Shahid Randhir Verma Stadium).
Police forces surrounded the ground to arrest Guruji as he arrived, but suddenly he appeared on stage, surprising his supporters and leaving the administration stunned."
Following this, then Dhanbad deputy commissioner K B Saxena reached out to Soren for dialogue. A meeting was secretly arranged in the jungles of Palma, where Shibu had took shelter.
"Guruji presented the plight of the tribal people so convincingly that DC Saxena took the matter to the chief minister's office," said Mahto.
This intervention led to the allocation of land to villagers in Tundi, allowing them to start agricultural work and reclaim their dignity.
Around the same time, Shibu established a haven called 'Shibu Ashram' in Tundi block, which still stands as a symbol of his early struggle and compassion for displaced villagers.
In 1980, despite having a warrant issued against him, Shibu was elected to the Lok Sabha from Dumka, proving his unmatched popularity among tribal masses.
Senior JMM leader Kansari Mandal said, "From a lone protester to the founding fathers of the Jharkhand movement, Shibu Soren's legacy as 'Guruji' continues to inspire generations in the region."