Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has slammed Jharkhand Congress MLA Jaimangal Singh for dragging his name in the ongoing controversy following the arrest of three Jharkhand Congress MLAs by the Bengal police while carrying a cash around Rs 50 Lakh.
The Assam Chief Minister claimed that Jaimangal Singh has long been meeting him and it is known to him. Hence it is strange to believe that Jaimangal Singh requires any MLA or middleman to approach him.
His minister Pijush Hazarika even released photographs of the recent meeting of Jaimangal Singh with Himanta Biswa Sarma in Delhi in presence of union minister Pralhad Joshi.
Jharkhand Congress to approach assembly speaker for termination of membership of MLAs of cash scam
The rebuttal came in the wake of the claim of Jaimangal Singh that three MLAs of his party approached him with Rs 10 Crore gratification to topple Hemant Soren led JMM-Congress-RJD government in Jharkhand.
The MLA in the FIR lodged at the Argora police station claimed that MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixel Kongari called him to come to Kolkata. The name of Himanta Biswa Sarma surfaced in the FIR lodged by Jaimangal Singh at Argora police station in Ranchi.
Jaimangal Singh who is an MLA from Bermo assembly seat claimed that these MLAs wanted to take him to Guwahati to arrange his meeting with Himanta Biswa Sarma. Jaimangal Singh said that the MLAs told him that Himanta Biswa Sarma would give him assurance of a definite ministerial berth apart from the money. Jaimangal Singh said that he refused the proposal to topple the present government.
“I do not want to be part of this unconstitutional, illegal and downright criminal activity and hence informing you that you please take action against them who are stationed in Kolkata with token amount and pressuring me to come to Kolkata and accompany them to Guwahati,” Jaimangal Singh claimed in the FIR.
His FIR came a day after Bengal police arrested Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixel Kongari along with cash around Rs 50 Lakh. They were taken on police remand. The Congress dubbed it as a nefarious design of the BJP to topple the government and Jaimangal Singh came forward and claimed that he too was offered money. In the FIR, Jaimangal Singh has made such an impression that the Assam Chief minister was heading the alleged operation lotus to topple the government in Jharkhand.
Himanta Biswa Sarma snubs Jaimangal Singh
Talking to a national English daily Himanta Biswa Sarma wondered whether Jaimangal Singh actually needed any MLA or middleman to meet him and to even come to Guwahati. He said that Jaimangal Singh was known to him for a very long time from the days of the Congress.
“In the FIR, it seems like he doesn’t even know me. So, he must have written it under duress,” the Assam CM said.
Sarma said that not just Jharkhand Congress MLAs but all Congress MLAs, whether it is Karnataka or Maharashtra, meet him on the regular basis.
Pijush Hazarika drops Twitter bomb upon Jaimangal Singh
Himanta Biswa Sarma may have made a measured statement to dismiss Jaimangal Singh; his cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika launched a barbed offensive and shared photographs of the meeting of Jaimangal Singh with Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“Sharing some facts about the baseless allegations by Jharkhand MLA Kumar Jaimangal. He made a fake allegation that the 3 arrested MLAs had lured him to meet Hon’ble CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Assam minister claimed.
In the second tweet the minister claimed that “five days before filing the fabricated FIR, Hon’ble CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma sir took him to the Residence of the Hon’ble Union Coal Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi at 9 am of 26th July, 2022 in order to help him in his trade union related matter.”
In the third tweet the minister claimed that Jaimangal Singh “has been regularly meeting Himanta Biswa Sarma” and Jaimangal Singh “should face the law for making a fraudulent allegation against the Chief Minister of Assam and against those tribal MLAs.”
Jharkhand Congress on backfoot
The revelation by Assam CM and his minister has made the Congress uncomfortable and a discontent is simmering against the state leadership and Jaimangal Singh.
“This is the second time in the last one year when Jaimangal Singh lodged an FIR that party MLAs are getting compromised and he too got the offer? Why only Jaimangal Singh has the privy of such information? He has always been very tricky and his conducts are doubtful. It is an open secret that his father late Rajendra Singh was known to Assam CM. Afterall friend Pijush Hazarika has shown Jharkhand true face of his friend,” said a senior Congress MLA.
“Rayata unhone failya hai ab wahi ise saaf karen, he has made a mess so he should undo it now,” said the MLA.
