Shibu Soren's funeral held with full state honours

Nemra: A galaxy of people from all walks of life, from top politicians to common villagers, thronged Nemra in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand as the mortal remains of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren were consigned to flames on Tuesday.

People bid adieu to 'Dishom Guru', as he was fondly called by the masses, with moist eyes as a sombre atmosphere prevailed in the native village of the JMM co-founder, whose last rites were held with full state honours amid tight security arrangements.

As his elder son and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren lit the pyre, people raised the slogan of 'Guruji amar rahe' (long live guruji).

The JMM co-founder died on Monday at a hospital in Delhi while undergoing treatment for kidney-related ailments. He was 81. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other leaders, paid homage to the departed soul in the national capital.

Earlier, Shibu Soren's mortal remains were laid on a flower-decked charpoy at his ancestral home in the village in adherence to full tribal customs, as near and dear ones made a beeline to offer shrouds, chadar, shawls and bouquets.

The coffin was wrapped in the Tricolour and the JMM flag.

An emotional wheelchair-bound Roopi Soren, Shibu Soren's wife, was unable to control her tears, while his sons Hemant and Basant, and daughter-in-law Kalpana were seen standing silent as grief writ large on their faces.

Kalpana Soren was seen consoling her two sons.

The house was packed with people paying their last respects, with many breaking down.

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi reached Ranchi and left for Nemra by road to attend the funeral as their helicopter could not take off from the state capital in view of heavy rainfall.

Both the Congress leaders were earlier scheduled to reach Nemra aboard a helicopter.

Earlier in the day, people lined up on both sides of the road to pay their last respects as the hearse carried Shibu Soren's body to Nemra from the state assembly in Ranchi, around 75 km away.

Hemant Soren, clad in a white kurta-pyjama, and a traditional tribal 'gamcha' on his shoulders, was seen sitting in the vehicle with folded hands. A beeline of vehicles followed the carcade.

Most of the shops and establishments in Ranchi remained closed in the first half of the day as a mark of respect for the departed leader.

Special traffic arrangements were made for the funeral.

Political leaders from across the country participated in the funeral, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, TMC MP Shatabdi Roy, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav.

Former Union minister Arjun Munda and AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto reached the funeral venue on a motorcycle in view of massive traffic jams on the roads.

Shibu Soren had been the leader of the JMM for the past 38 years.

As a mark of respect, the Jharkhand government declared a three-day state mourning till August 6.

Most of the schools in Jharkhand remained closed on Tuesday, with many ensuring special prayers for peace to the departed soul.

Rajya Sabha proceedings were also adjourned for the day on Monday as a mark of respect, following the death of sitting MP Shibu Soren.

The ongoing monsoon session of the Jharkhand Assembly, which began on August 1, was adjourned sine die following the announcement of his death.

In the morning, Shibu Soren's mortal remains were brought to the state assembly, where Governor Santosh Gangwar and Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato paid tributes to him.

Union ministers Jual Oram, Annapurna Devi and Sanjay Seth, and Hemant Soren, state ministers Irfan Ansari, Dipika Pandey Singh, Shilpi Neha Tirkey and many legislators, bureaucrats, including DGP Anurag Gupta and Principal Secretary to the CM, Avinash Kumar, JMM workers and common people paid their tributes on the assembly complex.

Shibu Soren's mortal remains were flown to Ranchi aboard a special aircraft from Delhi. His sons Hemant and Basant and daughter-in-law Kalpana accompanied the body.

A flower-decked open carriage carried the body from the airport to Soren's residence in Morabadi area of Ranchi, with the chief minister and his legislator brother seated beside his father's body, and Kalpana Soren in the front of the vehicle.