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Pradeep Balmuchu
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Ranchi, Oct. 30: State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu today did a U-turn on the pension disbursement controversy, dubbing the all-party meeting called by chief minister Arjun Munda on November 3 on the issue an eyewash.
Balmuchu, who had earlier told The Telegraph that he was with the government on the issue, today said the BJP was responsible for the pension controversy and “the people of the state were aware of the drama”.
Balmuchu, who is in Delhi, in a statement said the then government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee took credit for creation of the state, but did great injustice by putting a heavy financial burden on it.
“Had the BJP wanted that Bihar should not get the pension amount, the issue would have been settled between the states long ago,” he said.
Munda has convened an all-party meeting to create a political consensus to fight the September 25 directive of the Centre. Jharkhand was asked to reimburse Rs 2,584.09 crore to Bihar on account of adjustment of liabilities of pension and other retirement benefits to government employees up to March 31, 2011.
“The Arjun Munda government is misleading the people by blaming the Centre,” Balmuchu said, adding that assets between Jharkhand and Bihar have not been divided due to inaction of the BJP.
The Jharkhand government has moved the Supreme Court to declare a provision of the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000, ultra vires under which the central government directed the state to reimburse Rs 2,584.09 crore to Bihar.
Jharkhand has said the BR Act is discriminatory as successive reorganisation acts since 1956 followed the yardstick of population and not employees to divide pension liabilities.
Ironically, there were differences within the Congress over attending the meeting. Congress media cell member Rakesh Sinha, quoting Balmuchu, said party leaders will attend the meeting, while state Congress chief spokesman Radha Krishna Kishore said the party should not attend it.
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