Kharsawan (Jharkhand), Jan 1 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday paid tribute to the martyrs of the Kharsawan firing incident on its 77th anniversary at Sahid Sthal in Seraikela-Kharswan district.
Soren was accompanied by his wife Kalpana (JMM MLA from Gandey), ministers Ramdas Soren and Deepak Birua, MLA Sabita Mahato, among others.
On January 1, 1948, the town of Kharsawan in present-day Jharkhand and formerly in Odisha witnessed a massacre as police opened fire at a crowd gathered for a protest, killing hundreds.
Talking to reporters, Soren recalled that the struggle and sacrifices of the people realised the dream of a separate Jharkhand state, which came into being in 2000.
The CM said the tribal community had a deep connection with nature even before people envisioned the freedom of the country.
“Had the tribal way of life been followed, the environmental crisis and disaster could not have happened globally, nor would we have had to make big announcements to preserve the environment,” he said.
“On the first day of the year, a large number of tribal and indigenous people gathered here to pay tribute to their ancestors, who had sacrificed for the cause of ‘jal, jungle, jameen’ (water, forest, and land),” Soren said, emphasising the need to follow their footsteps to make the state what they dreamt of.
“It is because of their struggles and sacrifices that we are alive today,” he said, assuring that the fight for our rights will continue.
In a post on X, Soren said, “On this first day of the year, we draw inspiration from the struggles and sacrifices of the great ancestors of Jharkhand, who had laid down their lives defending their rights and protecting water, forests, and land, as we begin the new year… Like every year, we have gathered here today as well to honour the sacrifices of the immortal martyrs of the Kharsawan massacre and pay our utmost respects to them”, he added. PTI BS MNB
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