"Never in history of independent India...": BJP's Pratul Shah Deo tears into Jharkhand CM over his disappearance

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], January 31 (ANI): Coming out all guns blazing at Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who went incommunicado after receiving fresh ED summons in connection with an alleged land scam case, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo on Wednesday said never in the history of independent India has an elected CM 'gone missing' over 40 hours, leaving people to fend for themselves.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, the BJP state chief claimed Soren was conducting himself less like a CM and more as a 'fugitive', saying, "The events in Jharkhand over the last several hours could be compared with popular fiction or an international best-seller. An elected chief minister went missing for 40 hours, leaving behind his security detail. It's unprecedented. Never in the history of independent India has the head of a government been reported incommunicado for these many hours, leaving 3.5 crore people of the state to fend for themselves."
"The CM later resurfaced, saying all is well. However, I would like to tell him that all is not well. His act of disappearance has left more questions than it answered. As a constitutional head of the government, the CM must abide by the oath that he has taken. However, for a few hours, he looked to have vanished without a trace. Where were you for 40 hours? The even bigger question is: how could he leave the people of Jharkhand to their fates for all this time? He didn't conduct himself like a CM but acted more like a criminal on the run. This is unfortunate," Shah Deo added.
Taking a further swipe at the CM, he said, 'This is Narendra Modi's India and he can't escape the dragnet forever and will be held to account for his scams."
"He hasn't been cooperating with the ongoing investigation (in the alleged land scam case) and has, instead, been trying to politicise the matter by claiming vendetta. The case pertains to him selling off army land to people close to him (in lieu of kickbacks). He is on the run from the law," Shah Deo told ANI.
Earlier, scotching rumours that he was 'absconding' since being issued fresh ED summons, the Jharkhand CM held a series of meetings with party leaders and various MLAs of the INDIA bloc at his residence on Tuesday.
However, the BJP hit out at him, saying the people have lost all faith in the CM as he is 'deeply involved' in corruption and has made it his 'source of income'.
Earlier, on Monday, ED officials visited Soren's Delhi residence to question him in the case.
However, the sleuths came away without the Jharkhand CM after impounding two luxury cars and recovering Rs 36 lakh in cash.
Weighing in on the turn of events, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused the CM of being a 'bhagoda' (absconder), claiming that there was a proposal to make Soren's wife the chief minister. (ANI)