Tue Aug 05 04:50:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text about Shibu Soren’s parallel government:
**Shibu Soren’s ‘Jungle Raj’: How Jharkhand’s Leader Once Ran a Shadow Government**
**Tundi, Jharkhand** – While Shibu Soren’s party currently governs Jharkhand, a look back reveals a fascinating chapter in his political journey. In the 1970s, Soren, known as “Guruji,” operated a parallel government from the jungles of Tundi, challenging the established order and fighting for tribal rights.
Driven by a fierce opposition to exploitative moneylending practices, Soren launched an underground movement across Giridih and Dhanbad districts. By 1972, this movement had evolved into a fully functioning shadow government, with Soren himself as the Chief Minister.
Soren’s cabinet, operating from the Pokharia Ashram (later known as Shibu Ashram) in a Naxal-affected area of Tundi, included ministers for key portfolios like Home Affairs, Education, and Agriculture. Basant Pathak of Gandey served as the Home and Excise Minister, Jhagru Pandit of Jamtara as the Agriculture Minister, and Rajendra Tiwari of Tundi as the Education Minister. According to Dhanu Soren, a key associate, Ministers were selected based on their capabilities and dedication to the cause. They toured their areas to identify and report the challenges of the people, ensuring efficient governance.
“Guruji” held regular cabinet meetings, addressing issues related to land rights and the exploitation of tribal communities by moneylenders and landlords. A core tenet of Soren’s movement involved reclaiming tribal lands seized by these entities. He advocated for a system where tribals received one-third of the harvested crops, while another share went to those who helped in reaping the harvest, and the remaining crop goes towards the cause and helps during emergencies.
Soren’s parallel government, while unconventional, played a pivotal role in galvanizing tribal communities and laying the groundwork for his later political success in mainstream politics.
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