Bhubaneswar: A day after elders of the Santhal tribe decided to non-cooperate with Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sudam Marandi life-long, the minister on Thursday ended his silence and said some leaders of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are behind the opposition to him.
Marandi told media persons, “Some JMM leaders, who have been my political opponents and could not fight against me in the election, are politicising the matter.”
The minister said a handful of political opponents are opposing him in the name of tribals. He further stated, “No one else is opposing me as I am attending programmes of the tribe at all places.”
Meanwhile, the JMM said Marandi has lost his mental balance which is why he is making such allegations.
Fagu Hansda, Mayurbhanj District President of JMM said, “The way the charges are being made against usm it seems Marandi has lost his mental balance.”
Notably, elders of the Santhal tribe on Wednesday decided not to cooperate with Marandi lifelong.
In a meeting at Bangiriposi of Mayurbhanj district, elders of the tribe coming from different regions took the decision as Marandi, who belongs to the Santhal tribe, married off his daughter to a non-tribal. They were of the opinion that Marandi had violated the norms of the Santhal tribe by allowing his daughter to marry a Brahmin.
Though Marandi was called to the meeting, he did not attend it.
Ramchandra Murmu, Chief of Central Majhi Pagan, said, “The decision was taken that the tribe will not cooperate with Marandi nor attend any of his social functions as he did not cooperate with the people of the tribe.”