New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) The last rites of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren will be performed on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in his native village, Nemra, near Barka Nala in Bokaro district.

The 81-year-old tribal leader and veteran politician breathed his last on Monday morning at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi after a prolonged illness related to kidney complications.

Top national leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, will attend the funeral ceremony in Nemra.

A large number of supporters, political workers, and tribal community members are also expected to gather to bid farewell to the “Dishom Guru”, a title commonly used to refer to Soren, acknowledging his leadership among the tribal communities.

Shibu Soren’s younger son, Basant Soren, will perform the last rites and light the funeral pyre.

Soren had been undergoing treatment for over a month under the supervision of Dr. A.K. Bhalla, Chairman of Nephrology, along with a multidisciplinary team from the hospital’s neurology and ICU departments. The hospital officially declared him dead at 8:56 a.m on August 4.

In a mark of respect, the Jharkhand government has announced a three-day state mourning from August 4 to August 6. During this period, all government programs stand cancelled. National flags will fly at half-mast across state buildings, and no official entertainment events will be held.

Political leaders across party lines have expressed grief at the demise of the iconic tribal leader who played a crucial role in the creation of Jharkhand as a separate state.

President Droupadi Murmu paid her last respects at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and met Soren’s family, including his son and current Chief Minister Hemant Soren, offering heartfelt condolences.

Soren’s death marks the end of an era in Jharkhand politics. As a three-time Chief Minister and a long-serving MP, his contributions to tribal welfare and statehood politics remain etched in India’s political history.

–IANS

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