“Shibu Soren’s passing is a deep blow to the very soul of Jharkhand” — Rakesh Kumar Singh

New Delhi, 4 August 2025

Veteran journalist and former spokesperson of the Bihar-Jharkhand Congress (2006–2011), Rakesh Kumar Singh, has expressed profound grief over the demise of Shibu Soren — the founding leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), a key figure in the Jharkhand movement, and three-time Chief Minister of the state.

Soren passed away at the age of 81 at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Monday morning. News of his death has cast a pall of mourning across Jharkhand.

In his condolence message, Rakesh Kumar Singh said,
“Guruji’s entire life was devoted to struggle, sacrifice, and the cause of social justice. He brought the voice of Jharkhand’s people to the nation’s highest platforms and gave the state its identity. His life remains a guiding force for generations to come.”

Expressing deep condolences to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, he said, ” The loss of a father is not just a personal grief — it marks a void in the social and political life of Jharkhand. This is not merely the passing of a leader, but a wound to the spirit of the state itself.”

Singh’s father, J.B. Singh — a retired intelligence officer and recipient of the President’s Police Medal for his role in the separate statehood movement — also offered a heartfelt tribute to his old friend. As in-charge of South Bihar (now Jharkhand) from 1984 to 2000, J.B. Singh played a central role as interlocutor during the final years of the movement. Guruji, as Shibu Soren was fondly known, often referred to him not just as a dear friend but as a brother.

Rakesh Kumar Singh further acknowledged Guruji’s simplicity, steadfast commitment to people’s issues, and his unmatched ability to galvanize Adivasi consciousness, saying, “Shibu Soren was the soul of Jharkhand. He did not merely create a state — he shaped its dignity and identity. His passing is also a loss to India’s pluralistic political fabric.”