BJP's double standards on office of profit issue: Cong

New Delhi, Mar 31: The Congress today launched a scathing attack on its rival BJP, saying it had no business to point fingers at others when its own NDA government in Jharkhand had passed a Bill to protect its MLAs from possible disqualification for holding offices of profit.

The BJP had yesterday reacted sharply to the Centre's decision to reconvene the Budget session of Parliament from May 10-23 to redifine the law on the office of profit and bail out several MPs, including Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, facing possible disqualification.

''How can they accuse others when they themselves have passed a Bill to save their MLAs in Jharkhand.... This shows their double standards,'' Congress spokesperson Rajiv Shukla said.

He alleged that Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda had deserted the state along with his MLAs.

''We have heard of Rajas and Maharajas leaving their palaces, but the chief minister running away from the state capital along with his MLAs has happened for the first time in history,'' he said.

Mr Munda had left for Jaipur for two days along with his MLA in the face of the threat to the survival of his government over the office-of-profit controversy.

The Congress wanted to know who had been running the government in Jharkhand in their absence.

''What fear forced the chief minister to run away.... When the chief minister is so insecure, how can the people be secure,'' Mr Shukla said.

UNI