Cong trying to save face by accusing BJP of toppling govt: Arjun Munda

New Delhi: Union minister Arjun Munda on Monday slammed Congress leaders for claiming that the BJP was trying to destabilise the Jharkhand government and said that a huge amount of cash had been recovered from three MLAs of the party and instead of answering questions it was levelling charges in a bid to protect its image.
Jharkhand Congress leaders had alleged that the BJP had tried to destabilise the state government following the seizure of cash from three MLAs in West Bengal. Munda, however, claimed that such incidents only "exposed" the Congress. Jharkhand Congress MLA from Bermo Kumar Jaimangal on Sunday alleged that BJP was trying to topple the JMM-Cong coalition government in Jharkhand and claimed that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had a major role to play in it.
Jaimangal wrote a complaint against three Congress MLAs nabbed in West Bengal's Howrah with a huge amount of cash.
He alleged that the trio had invited him to Kolkata for a visit further to Guwahati to meet Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Jaimangal claimed he would have been promised a ministerial berth and cash worth crores for helping bring down the JMM-Congress government in the tribal-dominated state.
Reacting to Jaimangal's allegation, Munda said, "These allegations make no sense. He is just trying to protect himself. Congress's true self has come to light and to save its image in front of the country they are making such allegations. The people now have come to know about the kind of politics that Congress did all these years."
"There is no doubt that money in large quantity has been recovered from Congress MLAs. Where did this money come from? How did it come? Why did it come? Only those investigating the matter will be able to tell better. Money has been recovered from them and it is the reality of the MLAs. To get such a huge amount from such a large number, it definitely raises questions," the Union minister added.
Speaking on Operation Lotus allegation of levelled by the Opposition, the Union minister said, "These people, who made the allegation of Operation Lotus, why were they going to Kolkata? Now the people of Congress should ask their MLAs what they were doing, instead they are accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party. This is absolutely wrong. It has been their character to make baseless allegations. What is their intention behind this allegation? Their intention is to protect their image and defame BJP by accusing it."
According to him, the idea behind creating Jharkhand as a state has failed.
"The kind of instances that are happening in Jharkhand, I would say that the objective behind the creation of Jharkhand is completely deviating from that objective. Yes, it is everyone's dream and that dream is being trampled upon."
Three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand were detained in West Bengal's Howrah district on Saturday evening after a huge amount of cash was found in their vehicle, police said.
The SUV in which MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari were travelling was intercepted on National Highway-16 at Ranihati in the Panchla police station area.
The relatives of Congress MLA Irfan Ansari rebutted allegations that BJP is trying to destabilize the JMM-Cong coalition government in Jharkhand, making the surprising statement, "the government cannot be brought down with just a meagre sum of Rs 40-50 lakh."
The Congress party on Sunday suspended three MLAs, who were held with a huge amount of cash in West Bengal on Saturday, with immediate effect.
Addressing a press conference today, the general secretary and party in-charge of Jharkhand Congress, Avinash Pande said, "The three MLAs, who were held with a mountain of cash yesterday, have been suspended from the party with immediate effect.
"Congress alleged that BJP attempted to destabilize the state government following the seizure of cash from three MLAs, BJP slammed the Congress for their allegations.
Talking to ANI, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said "Whenever Congress or leaders from the Jharkhand government land up in any difficulty they immediately start using the word 'destabilization' like Pakistan's government use Kashmir word. But they cannot escape by blaming BJP."
Notably, JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha)-Congress alliance is in power in Jharkhand and BJP is in Opposition. (ANI)