Ranchi, Oct 7 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s mother Rupi Soren died at a private hospital here on Wednesday evening, an official of the medical establishment said.
She was 80.
The wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder and former CM, the late Shibu Soren, was in critical condition and on ventilator support.
“CM Hemant Soren’s mother Rupi Soren, who was admitted here, passed away around 8.30 pm. She was admitted to the hospital on September 18 with breathing difficulty,” Director of Hill View Hospital and Research Centre, Dr Nitesh Priya, told PTI.
Rupi Soren was critical with multiple complications. A team of doctors was constantly monitoring her health condition, and she was put on ventilator support on Wednesday, he added.
Hemant Soren, who had visited her earlier in the day, said in an emotional social media post: “After Baba left, Maa was my greatest shelter. Today, even that shelter has merged into the lap of nature. Maa…”
A JMM leader said the last rites of Rupi Soren will be conducted at Nemra in neighbouring Ramgarh district on Thursday.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar condoled her death, saying, “In this hour of grief, my deepest condolences are with the chief minister and his entire family. May God grant strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti!”
BJP leader and former CM Champai Soren, who was a close aide of Shibu Soren, condoled Rupi Soren’s death.
“The sad news of the passing of Smt Rupi Soren ji, wife of the late Shibu Soren ji has left my heart in pain. Many events and memories from the time of the Jharkhand movement are flashing before my eyes. May Marang Buru (the supreme tribal deity) grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family,” Champai Soren said in a social media post.
Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato also expressed grief over Rupi Soren’s death.
Union Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, said, “May Marang Buru give place to the pious soul in his abode and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this grief. May the Lord grant her salvation.”
“The news of the passing of the mother of Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji has left me deeply distressed. In this hour of grief, our condolences are with the bereaved family,” Babulal Marandi, leader of opposition in the state assembly, said in a social media post.
“May the Lord grant a place at His holy feet to the departed soul and bestow upon the grief-stricken family the strength to bear this immense sorrow,” Marandi said.
BJP leader and former CM Raghubar Das also condoled her death, said it was a personal loss for him.
“I am deeply grieved and stunned by the news of the passing of Smt. Rupi Soren ji, the revered mother of Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren ji and the wife of the late Guru Shibu Soren ji,” Das said in a social media post.
“The departure of Rupi aunty is a personal loss for me. The affection she bestowed upon me like a son will forever remind me of her. She was the very embodiment of maternal love. May the Lord grant her eternal liberation,” he added.
The Jharkhand unit of the Congress expresses deep grief over the demise of the chief minister’s mother.
“The news of the demise of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren ji’s mother is extremely sad and heart-wrenching,” the party said in a statement.
AICC in-charge of Jharkhand, K Raju, and state unit chief Keshav Mahato Kamlesh expressed deep condolences and called it “an irreparable loss for Hemant Soren ji and his entire family”, it said.
Former Congress state president Rajesh Thakur said, “The news of the demise of Smt. Rupi Soren ji, the mother who gave birth to Jharkhand’s illustrious Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren ji, is extremely heartbreaking.”
“May God grant her a place at His sacred feet and bestow strength upon her son Shri @HemantSorenJMM ji, Shri @BasantSorenMLA ji, daughter-in-law Smt. @JMMKalpanaSoren ji, along with the entire bereaved family and well-wishers to bear this sorrow,” he added.
Rupi Soren had in 1999 contested the polls to Dumka Lok Sabha seat, then in undivided Bihar, but lost to senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi by a narrow margin of less than 5,000 votes.
She did not contest any elections after that and devoted her life to taking care of her husband till he died in August last year.
Earlier this year, she had received Padma Bhushan on behalf of her husband, who was conferred the award posthumously at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In a poignant moment, President Droupadi Murmu had stepped down from the stage to present the award to Rupi Soren, who attended the ceremony in a wheelchair.
She had also participated in the swearing-in ceremony of his son as the chief minister. PTI SAN NAM RPS ACD
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