A day after he was reportedly ostracised by his clansmen, Sports and Youth Services Minister Sudam Marandi on Thursday said he was very much in the Santhal society and what had happened to him was because of a conspiracy made by some Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leaders.
Notaly, Marandi was in the JMM before the 2014 Assembly elections. He won the election on a BJD ticket and was made a Minister. Elders of the Santhal tribe had on Wednesday decided not to cooperate with Sudam Marandi lifelong.
At a meeting at Bangiriposi of Mayurbhanj district, Santhal elders coming from different regions took this decision as Marandi, who belongs to the Santhal tribe, has married off his daughter to a non-tribal. They were of the opinion that Marandi has 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. Meanwhile, JMM Mayurbhanj district president Hasu Hansda said Marandi had lost his mental balance and was making vague statements.