Won't quit politics, open to floating new outfit: Champai Soren
Ranchi, Aug 21: Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday said he would not quit politics, asserting that an option to float a new political outfit was always open to him.
Soren said he was firm on his plans after "facing humiliation at the hands of leaders of JMM", a party to which the veteran leader claimed that he devoted his entire life.
"It is a new chapter of my life. I won't quit politics as I have received lots of love and support from my followers. I had mentioned three options - quitting politics, organisation or friend. I will not quit politics. The chapter (of quitting politics) has closed, I may form a new outfit," the senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader said shortly after he reached his ancestral village Jhilingora in Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
The 67-year-old tribal leader has earned the nickname 'Jharkhand's Tiger' for his contribution to the fight to create a separate state in the 1990s.
Jharkhand was carved out of the southern part of Bihar in 2000.
"No one from JMM contacted me. This is the land of Jharkhand...I have struggled since my student life. I participated in the agitation for a separate Jharkhand state under the leadership of party supremo Shibu Soren," Champai Soren said.
The JMM leader said he might join hands with any outfit if he gets a like-minded organisation or a friend during his next journey.
"I will strengthen the party, a new party and if I meet a good friend on the way, then I will move ahead with the friend...", he said.
Referring to his post on X on August 18, the former chief minister said, "I posted what I felt was proper. The entire country is aware of what I thought."
Amid speculations that he might join the BJP, the veteran politician had said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister, which compelled him to seek an alternative path.
"After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path," Champai Soren had said, alleging that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge.
"When I enquired about the reasons for cancellation, I was informed that there was a meeting of party legislators on July 3 and that I could not attend any government programme until then," he had said.
He had asked, "Can there be anything more humiliating in a democracy than having a chief minister's programme cancelled by another person?"
Soren claimed that although the CM had the authority to call a meeting of the legislative party, he was not even informed of the meeting's agenda.
"During the (July 3) meeting, I was asked to resign. I was taken aback. Since I had no desire for power, I resigned immediately. However, my self-respect was deeply hurt," Soren had added.
The ex-CM said he had announced in the legislative party meeting that "a new chapter in my life is going to begin from today".
"From that day until now, and through the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey," he said.
Champai Soren assumed office as the 12th CM of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after his predecessor Hemant Soren resigned just before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
Hemant Soren was released from jail on June 28 after being granted bail by the high court. On July 3, he was elected as the JMM's legislature party leader.
Champai Soren subsequently submitted his resignation letter to the governor, paving the way for Hemant Soren to be sworn in as chief minister for the third time.
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NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
