On January 31, Hemant Soren resigned as Jharkhand chief minister and was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate soon after in a land scam case. On the same night, in an innuendo-laden tirade, Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Chaudhary asked if the Soren family, which belongs to the SC/ST community, should be “given reservation” or the benefits of the SC/ST Act. 

He also said that Soren’s night in the jail would be like going back by “20, 30, 40 years like an Adivasi to the jungle”.

“Where will he spend tonight? He is accustomed to a lavish lifestyle. But today, in a way, it will be like going back by 20, 30, 40 years like an Adivasi to the jungle. It will be a tough night,” said Chaudhary.    

He said in Hindi: “Ab aaj ki raat kahan bitegi? Unhe toh shandaar lifestyle ki adat hain. Wo private planes mein chalte hain, badi badi gadiyon mein chalte hain. Aj unke liye, ek tarike se, waisa hi hoga ki jaise wo 20-30-40 saal pehle wapas apne kisi adivasi ki taur par jungle mein chale. Aj ki raat kaafi mushkil hone wali hain.” 

Ostensibly assuming that the tribal community is “poor” and contained to jungles, Chaudhary also suggested that those in the community who are economically better off should not be given reservation – which ensures social representation to marginalised communities besides economic aid.

Chaudhary said in Hindi: “Aap sochiye, kya iss parivar ko kehne ka adhikar hain ki ye gareeb hain? Kya iss parivar ko reservation milna chahiye? Kya ye jo Soren parivar hain isse arakshan ka labh milna chahiye? Kya isse adivasiyon ka labh milna chahiye? Kya SC/ST Act jo hain usse inki shakti aur badhni chahiye? Kyunki ye desh ke bade bade ameer khandanon se bhi zyada paise wale hain. Ye adivasi nahi, balki bade bade bungalow ke nivasi hain.    

“Does this family have the right to say that it is poor? Should they get reservation? Should the Soren family reap the benefits of reservation? Should they get the benefits given to the tribals? Should their power be increased through the SC/ST Act? Because they are even wealthier than most of the richest people in the country. They are not tribals, they live in big, big bungalows,” said Chaudhary after pointing out that following his arrest, Soren filed a case against the ED under the SC/ST Act. 

Newslaundry had earlier reported that a survey on caste representation suggests that Indian media is an upper-caste fortress. Out of 121 leadership positions surveyed in newsrooms, none were held by those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Read here.

Meanwhile, a tribal group has filed a police complaint under the SC/ST Act against Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Chaudhary for derogatory remarks.   

The Aadivasi Sena in Ranchi filed the complaint citing Chaudhary’s comments on Soren and the SC/ST communities during his primetime show Black and White, which aired on January 31. The complaint sought that an FIR be registered against Chaudhary.

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