Shibu Soren : A Biography

 

Mr. Shibu Soren ( 11 January 1944 – 4 August 2025), popularly known as "Dishom Guru", was an Indian politician who was a member of the Rajya Sabha, representing Jharkhand, and the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

He previously served as the 3rd Chief Minister of Jharkhand, first for 10 days in 2005 (from 2 March to 12 March), then from 2008 to 2009, and again from 2009 to 2010. He was also the President of the JMM, a constituent of the INDIA Alliance. Soren was a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Dumka from 1980 to 1984, 1989 to 1998, and 2002 to 2019. He also served as the Minister for Coal in the Union Cabinet three times: in 2004, from 2004 to 2005, and in 2006. However, he was convicted by a Delhi district court of his involvement in the 1994 murder of his private secretary, Shashi Nath Jha. He had also been indicted in the past on other criminal charges.

Early life -  Mr. Soren was born in Nemra village of Ramgarh district, Bihar Province, British India. He belongs to Santal tribe. He completed his schooling in the same district. During his schooling his father was murdered by thugs employed by money lenders. At the age of 18, he formed the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh. In 1972, Bengali Marxist trade union leader A. K. Roy, Kurmi-Mahato leader Binod Bihari Mahato and Santal leader Shibu Soren formed Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Soren became the general secretary of JMM. JMM organised agitations to reclaim the tribal lands which were alienated. They started forcibly harvesting in the lands. Shibu Soren was known for delivering summary justice against landlords and money lenders, sometimes by holding own courts. On 23 January 1975, he allegedly incited a campaign to drive away "outsiders", or the 'non-tribal' people. At least eleven people were killed. Soren and numerous others were charged with various crimes related to this incident. After extended legal proceedings, Soren was acquitted on 6 March 2008.  However, possibly related incitement charges—dating from two earlier deaths in 1974—remain pending.  PoI A. P. J. Abdul Kalam administering oath to Soren as Union Cabinet Minister on 22 May 2004.  He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Dumka. He was subsequently elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991 and 1996 as well.

In 2002, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. He won the Dumka Lok Sabha seat in a by-election the same year and resigned his Rajya Sabha seat. He was re-elected in 2004. He became the Union Coal Minister in the Manmohan Singh government, but was asked to resign following an arrest warrant in his name in the thirty-year-old Chirudih case. He was one of the main accused amongst 69, with allegations to kill 10 people (including 9 Muslims) on 23 January 1975, in a clash between tribals and Muslims. After the warrant was issued, he initially went underground. He resigned on 24 July 2004. He was able to secure bail after spending over a month in judicial custody; released on bail on 8 September, he was re-inducted into the Union Cabinet and given back the coal ministry on 27 November 2004, as part of a deal for a Congress-JMM alliance before assembly elections in Jharkhand in February/March 2005.

On 2 March 2005, after much political bargaining and quid pro quo he was invited to form the government in Jharkhand by the Governor of Jharkhand. He resigned as Chief Minister nine days later, on 11 March, following his failure to obtain a vote of confidence in the assembly.

Death - Mr. Shibu Soren died at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, on 4 August 2025, at the age of 81. The next day after Shibu Soren's death, his body was brought from Delhi to his native village Nemra in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand on 5 August 2025 and his son Hemant Soren (Chief Minister of Jharkhand) cremated Shibu Soren's body with full state honors.