Jharkhand News : Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Champai Soren has been placed under house arrest at his residence in Lalpur, Ranchi, by the local administration. The move comes just ahead of his planned participation in a protest at Nagdi, where land has been earmarked for the proposed Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences-2 (RIMS-2) project.
Soren was expected to take part in a symbolic “ploughing” protest under the “Hal Joto, Ropa Ropo” (Plough and Plant) campaign on Sunday, as a mark of solidarity with local tribal and native farmers opposing the government’s acquisition of agricultural land for the project.
Sharing the update on his official social media handle on X, Soren wrote, “The Jharkhand government has placed me under house arrest since this morning to prevent me from raising the voice of tribal/native farmers of Nagdi.”
The administration has also reportedly prevented several other BJP leaders from reaching the protest site. Authorities have deployed a heavy police presence in Nagdi and surrounding areas to maintain order. City DSP KV Raman confirmed the police readiness and restrictions in place.
The protest is being spearheaded by the Nagdi Zameen Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, which has invited farmers from surrounding villages to join the demonstration. Tensions have been rising in the region after local farmers, or raiyats, were barred from cultivating land that had earlier been surrounded by barbed wire fencing as part of the RIMS-2 project.
Villagers argue that while the land was acquired long ago, no development or construction has taken place. As a result, they believe the ownership or usage rights should revert to the original cultivators.
The issue continues to fuel conflict between the government and local residents, who see the protest as a battle for both land rights and recognition of traditional livelihoods.
