Centre-State relation like that of Russia-Ukraine: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren

Hemant Soren has been asked to furnish a reply to the Election Commission as to why he should not be disqualified for holding an "office of profit" by granting a mining lease in his favour.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on May 11 drew parallels between Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Centre's "use of agencies to destabilise a democratically elected government", asserting that he would not kowtow under pressure.

Mr. Soren, who is in the midst of an office-of-profit controversy, also said that he would give a befitting reply to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre, "just like Ukraine had been responding to Russia’s offensive".

"The way the Centre had been spreading propaganda, using agencies to destabilise a democratically elected State Government in Jharkhand, it can be compared to Russia's military action to demilitarize and wipeout Ukraine. Russia had thought it could knock down Ukraine in a day or two, but look how Ukraine is staging a counter-offensive, with the war going on for three months now," Mr. Soren told PTI.

If the Centre thinks it can destabilise a democratically elected government by creating a "false narrative", it is grossly mistaken, Mr. Soren asserted.

"We are going to fight...I will not kowtow or run away like a coward," Mr. Soren said.

The CM has been asked to furnish reply to Election Commission as to why he should not be disqualified for holding an "office of profit" by granting a mining lease in his favour.

Mr. Soren had sought four weeks to furnish a reply to the notice, but the poll panel has given him just 10 days.