Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu
Soren on Saturday directed the administration to look into alleged
Maoist threat to the great grandson of legendary freedom
fighter Birsa Munda.
"I have asked the administration to look into the
matter," Soren said, days after the family of the great tribal
leader, who died in a British prison at Ranchi in mysterious
circumstnces at the age of 25, approached the state Home
Department with a complaint that Maoists had asked them to
give a motorbike or face dire consequences in Khunti district.
Home Secretary, J B Tubid yesterday said he had asked
the Khunti Deputy Commissioner and the District Police Chief
to look into it and, if necessary, provide them security.
Sukhram Munda, the son of Birsa Munda, said the Maoists
had asked his son to give a bike or face the consequence.
Birsa Munda (1875?1900), belonging to the Munda tribe,
led the Millenarian movement that broke out in the tribal belt
of modern day Bihar and Jharkhand during the British Raj in
the late 19th century making him an important figure in the
history of the Indian independence movement.
Birsa's devotion to his people was such that he was
almost revered as God by his followers. By the time he was in
his 20s, his activities in the tribal areas of Jharkhand state
(earlier Bihar) had already begun to worry the British
establishment to a considerable extent.
He was finally caught by the British on February 3,
1900 when he was only 25 years old. He died soon afterwards in
mysterious circumstances on June 9, 1900 in Ranchi Jail.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, January 23, 2010, 23:47