Congress MP Singhvi hits out at central govt over Jharkhand issue

Senior Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi accused the central government of partnering with agencies and offering inducements to MLAs to change parties in order to topple the UPA-led Jharkhand government, after former chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case and subsequently resigned from his post.

“The BJP has established the world’s most renowned university on an all-India basis, which gives only PhDs and post-doctorates on one theme alone—how to topple elected governments,” said Singhvi while addressing media persons.

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Soren, who was arrested after seven hours of questioning by the ED, has moved the Supreme Court against his arrest.

Kapil Sibal and Singhvi are among the lawyers representing him, and the case is scheduled to be heard on Friday.

Singhvi also criticised Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan for allegedly delaying the appointment of a new chief minister for over 18 hours, despite the UPA government having a clear majority in the Jharkhand assembly.

“How much time did it take? A few seconds? A few minutes? Versus 18 hours till today, as we speak,” said Singhvi.

Singhvi also suggested that the governor was “paralysed into inaction”.

“Are you waiting to impose President’s rule to remove a democratically-elected government? Because you cannot see any other political colour in India. The nation wants to know what the Honourable Prime Minister and what the Honourable Home Minister are thinking,” he also said.

Odisha MP Saptagiri Ulaka claimed that this was part of a “conspiracy” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to acquire tribal land.