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Jharkhand Elections, BJP’s Sita Soren distraught over Congress Minister Irfan Ansari’s derogatory remark

Posted on by Josh L
Jharkhand Elections, BJP’s Sita Soren distraught over Congress Minister Irfan Ansari’s derogatory remark

Jharkhand Election 2024: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sita Soren broke down on Sunday while addressing the media, discussing alleged derogatory remarks made about her by Congress minister Irfan Ansari. Soren, who is contesting the upcoming Jakhkhand Assembly elections from Jamtara constituency, spoke a day before she filed her nomination papers. Ansari, who is also contesting the same seat as the Congress candidate, allegedly made controversial remarks after filing his nomination on Thursday.

Sita Soren, visibly emotional while speaking to the press, said, “Ansari has been targeting me ever since my candidacy was announced. But the disparaging remarks he made after submitting his candidacy are unacceptable. This is an insult to women in the tribal community that will never forgive him.”

She further recalled, “The way he made a comment against me, he doesn’t know who I am, whose wife I am and what house I belong to? My father-in-law and husband started campaigning for Jharkhand. our community and women have suffered… I will not forgive him. Our community has decided that he will not be allowed to enter the Adivasi villages. It is also the responsibility of those who made him a minister. There has to be some discipline because my husband is gone, he (Ansari)…” before breaking down.

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 following a rift with her family over the chief ministership following the resignation of Hemant Soren and his subsequent imprisonment in a money laundering case. Hemant Soren is the younger son of Shibu Soren.

As Soren struggled with her emotions, Navada BJP Member of Parliament Vivek Thakur, who was present with her, stepped in to console her. Criticizing the Congress leader’s remarks, Thakur said, “BJP will protest not only in Jamtara but across the state because of this,” news agency PTI reported.

READ ALSO | ‘Jharkhand CM should expel him’: Shivraj Chouhan slams minister for calling BJP’s Sita Soren ‘discarded player’

Dignity of Adivasi is nothing to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren: BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam chief minister and BJP chief election officer Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed the alleged statement by Jharkhand minister Irfan Ansari, who 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 unacceptable statements against his daughter-in-law’s dignity, this is nothing for KM Soren… Shibbu Soren’s daughter-in-law is offended and Hemant Soren is saying nothing…. Adivasi people will teach them. a lesson in elections…”

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) took cognizance of the incident on Saturday, sending a notice to the Jharkhand government and seeking a report within three days on 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 remarks against Sita Soren, alleging that his remarks disrespected both the tribal community and widows in the state. The BJP urged the commission to stop Ansari from filing his nomination and filed a criminal case against him.

Sita Soren also posted a video of the alleged remarks on X (formerly Twitter), asking Ansari to apologize. Meanwhile, Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi urged the chief minister to remove Ansari from the JMM-led alliance in view of the controversy.

Responding to the allegations, Ansari dismissed them, claiming that the video shared by the BJP was fake. He stated, “I didn’t even mention Soren in the original video” and announced his intention to file a complaint against the BJP and Soren.