Jubilation—Rupi Soren Kisku

Jubilation—Rupi Soren Kisku
Santanu Saraswati
Dumka, June 03—Time: 5:30 p.m. Place: Khijuria, two kilometers away from the main town. The sun was just getting its dip under the river Mayurakshi. Yesterday, this town witnessed another repetition of history with the thumping victory of the JMM-S supreme Shibu Soren. The repetition that was much waited as was witnessed. The party chief was not in a mood to celebrate his victory since a party worker died due to electrocution. But his men were not ready to listen to him, perhaps for the first ever time in JMM-S’ history.Close peeps from the windowpane will enough to watch Madam Rupi Soren Kisku—the party candidate in 1999—busy cooking herself for near about 200 party workers, who were in the district for the past one month. Madam is not tired. She is just far from the madding crowd. Her face says: “People have given their verdict. They have spoke against last parliamentary polls result, where she was defeated only by a margin of 4,664 votes.”Nobody can say—she is the mother of crown prince—Durga Soren. Nobody even guess she is the wife of Jharkhand strongman—Shibu Soren. Being a traditional Santhal housewife, she fought only one battle in tribal politics, and that too, against the present Chief Minister, Babulal Marandi. And Marandi had to resort some odd political tactics for defeating Rupi. She fought that battle under political compulsion since her husband was in Tihar Jail that time.She was busy holding her pallu over her head in one hand and cooking “kichri” for the party workers in a big handi in other hand.The Soren family still believes in traditional Santhal hospitality. And everybody enjoys the food cooked by Madam Kisku. --“Yeh zindagi aapko achha lagti hein?” (Do you like this lifestyle?)--“ Aab aadatsi par gayee. Yehi zindagi achha hein. Gharme bahu hein madat karti hein.” (I got habituated and now like this life. My sister-in-law helps me in household chores). She says with her usual smile.Rupi was the witness of Gurujee’s days of struggle. Durga was very small then. In every step there was stake of life—but anyhow they never felt laid down even in woes. --“Oh din bhi dekhey hein. Aaj to suraj hein khali. Aur dikkat hogi to aap log to hein humlogo-ke saath. Hum Advasi log pyar dena bhi jantey hein. Sirf thorasa pratisthha aur samman milne par janbhi de saktey hein.” Rupi says in her mind. It was already 7 in the watch and I get start walking for my office but Rupi’s speech become cemented for the first ever time since our first meet in 1999 on the day of her nomination. She lost to BJP, but won many worldly battles—battle for self-respect and respect for the entire tribal masses in this tribal heartland. EOM.
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