Days after the horrific deaths of two girls were reported in India's Jharkhand state, a bizarre statement by ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) lawmaker Basant Soren related to the murders has sparked widespread criticism amid tumultuous political developments. Basant, brother of State Chief Hemant Soren, is the state legislator from Dumka district, where the girls' killings in separate incidents have triggered protests.
The lawmaker was back in the state after his visit to Delhi, which he took amid unrest in his home district. He then went to meet the victims' families. But when reporters asked him about the reason for his visit to Delhi, he said that he needed to buy "undergarments” there.
"I had run out of undergarments, so I went to Delhi to purchase them. I get them from there," he said.
Basant's comment, given as the reason for not being able to visit the families earlier amid the tumult, drew sharp reactions from Opposition politicians as well as netizens. Nishikant Dubey, BJP parliamentarian from Godda and the party's prominent face in Jharkhand, took a swipe at the JMM lawmaker. “The son of Shibu Soren, leader of the poor and tribals, goes to Delhi to buy undergarments and this is why he couldn’t meet the victims’ families."
Slamming the politician over his bizarre remark, a senior journalist Rubika Liyaquat said in a tweet in Hindi: “Ankita was burnt alive in Dumka on 23 August while lawmaker from Dumka and State Chief Hemant Soren’s brother Basant Soren meets the family on 7 September."
"The entire country was in pain and he was busy shopping for his undergarments in Delhi. He is not even ashamed of it.”
Furious over the legislator's statement, a number of netizens have called him shameless and arrogant.
Earlier this week, State Chief Hemant Soren had also faced netizens as well as Opposition parties' criticism for saying: “Incidents happen [everywhere]. Where do they not occur?”
His reply was in response to a reporter's question on 23 August, when a girl in Dumka district of the state was set on fire by her stalker.
After suffering from her injuries for a few days, the girl died on 28 August. A few days after the horrific incident, a 14-year-old pregnant girl was found hanging from a tree in the district. Police said she was raped and then murdered.