Munda’s Germany visit amid state crisis creates heat
April 8th, 2011 - 4:39 pm ICT by IANS
Ranchi, April 8 (IANS) At a time when Jharkhand is battling a water crisis and over one lakh people have been affected by a demolition drive here, Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s Germany visit to hunt for fresh investments is generating much heat.
“We have to spend the night under open sky. We face a tough time as our houses have been demolished. Understand our problem… how a woman will answer the nature’s call and where will the children stay in the scorching sun?” said Nagma Khatoon, whose house at Islamnagar here was demolished along with hundreds other.
More than 3,500 illegal structures have been demolished here in the past two weeks on the directives of the Jharkhand High Court.
Munda, his principal secretary D.K. Tiwary and Industries Secretary A.P. Singh are in Germany since April 3 to woo investors. They will return April 10.
The Congress has termed the visit as a cruel joke. “What could be a more cruel joke that people of the state are facing the toughest time due to demolition drive and drinking water crisis and the chief minister is enjoying in Germany,” Congress legislator Chandra Shekhar Dubey told reporters.
A Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader said: “Munda is wasting public money for self interest by visiting foreign countries. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stays in Bihar and he created an environment which attracted Bill Gates and others to Bihar land.”
In the past, Munda has visited London, the US and other countries to woo investors. This is his third stint as the chief minister but not a single Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during his regime in steel, power and other sectors has ever seen the light of the day.
Besides opposition, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also spoke against Munda.
“Jharkhand is burning and Munda is like Nero who is enjoying in Germany,” a BJP leader told IANS, declining to be named.
- Munda should pay for Germany visit: Congress - Apr 10, 2011
- Jharkhand demolitions: BJP leaders seeks PM's intervention - Apr 21, 2011
- Shutdown hits life in Jharkhand, Medha Patkar booked - May 02, 2011
- Munda caught between falling buildings and grumbling leaders - Apr 20, 2011
- Congress demands probe into Ranchi police firing - Apr 06, 2011
- One killed in violent anti-demolition protests in Ranchi (Lead) - Apr 05, 2011
- Munda appeals to Marandi to end hunger strike - May 05, 2011
- Yashwant Sinha protests demolition drive - Apr 17, 2011
- Opposition shutdown hits Ranchi - Apr 07, 2011
- Jharkhand demolitions cause differences in ruling alliance - Apr 29, 2011
- Munda seeking expert opinion on Jharkhand's development - May 15, 2011
- Congress playing demolition politics: BJP, JMM - Apr 06, 2011
- Two killed in Jharkhand police firing - Apr 27, 2011
- Two killed in Jharkhand police firing (Lead, Superseding earlier story) - Apr 27, 2011
- Three killed in Jharkhand police firing (Second Lead) - Apr 27, 2011
Tags: bill gates, bjp leader, chandra shekhar, chief minister, cruel joke, dubey, illegal structures, janata, jharkhand high court, khatoon, legislator, memorandum of understanding, munda, nagma, open sky, principal secretary, public money, self interest, tiwary, water crisis