Sahai joins Koda detractors but PCC chief defends him

Jamshedpur, Mar 5 (UNI) Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahai today joined two senior MPs in criticising the Madhu Koda-led UPA government on the law and order situation, saying 'corruption and mismanagement' continued to be the root cause of spurt in insurgency in Jharkhand.

The Minister of state for food processing, who was present at the press conference of Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal here, said he was not satisfied with the Koda government's performance in tackling the problem.

Earlier, Congress MP from Godda Furkan Ansari had demanded President's Rule in the state while his counterpart from Dhanbad Dadai Dubey criticised Mr Koda on the law and order front.

As Mr Sahai expressed his annoyance, Mr Jaiswal parried a question saying, ''it is not a political press conference and I will not make a political comment.'' However, Mr Sahai, an MP from Ranchi, said the Centre would not remain a mute spectator on the issue.

''Corruption and mismanagement continues to be the root cause of insurgency in Jharkhand,'' he said, adding that lack of adequate police force was a handicap. He alleged that despite demand, inspectors and sub-inspectors were not recruited.

The Union Minister and senior state Congress leader's criticism might not go well among party cadres. State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu said this morning that the present crisis was the outcome of misuse of funds by the previous Arjun Munda-led NDA government.

Reacting to the killing of JMM general secretary and Jamshedpur MP Sunil Mahto along with three others by Maoists yesterday, Mr Balmuchu said the NDA government did not utilise the funds meant for the poor.

The Congress MPs were of the view that the deterioration of law and order was the result of Mr Koda's funds 'mismanagement,' leading to frustration among the masses, particularly the youth.

The Chief Minister, when asked to comment on his allies' demand, said he was not aware of it.

However, Mr Balmuchu refused to toe the line of his party colleagues, saying it was not a law and order problem but a socio-economic one.

The poor, during the NDA government, were denied their rights, leading to the crisis, he contended.

UNI