During the Sarhul Festival at Siram Toli Sarna Sthal in Ranchi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was met with protests from tribal groups as he participated in the puja.
A group of demonstrators, led by former Congress Minister Geetashri Oraon, greeted Soren with black bands tied to their heads and arms while he and his wife, Kalpana Soren, conducted the sacred rituals.
In an attempt to avoid escalating tensions, the Chief Minister and his wife quickly completed the puja and departed for another event at the Adivasi Hostel.
The protest, however, led to a tense confrontation between tribal leader Ajay Tirkey and Geetashri Oraon, who was leading the Sirmatoli Bachao Sangharsh Morcha. Oraon, addressing the media, emphasized that protesting is a constitutional right and that no one could prevent them from exercising it.
Oraon clarified the reason for the protest, stating that they were opposing the construction of a ramp in front of the Sarna Sthal. According to her, the Chief Minister had no right to perform puja there as he had not supported the community in protecting the site.
She further expressed that if Soren genuinely valued the Sarna faith, he would have taken necessary actions to safeguard the heritage site.
The protest had already escalated on March 30, when Geetashri Oraon and her supporters breached police barricades to demand the removal of the ramp. This led to a scuffle with law enforcement, resulting in an FIR being filed against 21 individuals, including Oraon, following statements taken by the magistrate at Chutia police station.
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The protest against the ramp’s construction had also sparked a larger movement earlier in March when over 40 tribal organizations called for a Ranchi bandh during the budget session to highlight their concerns.
The protest brought the capital city to a standstill, with activists voicing their opposition to the construction of a flyover ramp near the Sarna Sthal at Siramtoli. The ramp, they argue, obstructs access to the sacred site and could compromise its sanctity due to increased traffic in the area.
According to the tribal organisations, the Sarna Sthal is a significant site for religious gatherings, with nearly three lakh devotees from various regions coming together for the Sarhul celebrations. They warn that the construction of the ramp will create logistical challenges for the thousands of participants in the procession, potentially disrupting their religious practices.
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