The Monsoon Session of the State Assembly is likely to be stormy with the Congress planning to raise the burning issue of Vyapam scam and corner the Government while the latter is gearing up to highlight that it played a vital role for a CBI probe into the scandal.
The 12-day session scheduled to commence on Monday and incorporate ten sittings is all set to be a turbulent affair.
leader of Opposition Satyadev Katare while talking to media persons here on Sunday said, “We want that the Assembly should begin with condoling the deaths of 48 people linked to Vyapam scam. And for this, we have already written to Assembly Speaker Sitasharan Sharma. We have not yet received any word from the Speaker.” A meeting of Congress legislators would finalise the strategy, he said, adding that the Dental / Medical Admission Test and State Public Service Commission inconsistencies, peasants and power woes, the State’s adverse financial condition and other crucial issues would also be brought up.
On the other hand, the ruling BJP has already issued a whip to its Ministers and legislators to be present during the session, scheduled to end on July 31, and thwart the attempts of the Congress to corner the Government over the Vyapam scam.
BJP legislators are going to vociferously argue that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took the lid off the Vyapam scam and cleared the way for CBI probe into it, a ruling party MlA said.
Besides, the Congress was also going to raise the issue of “lawlessness” in the State by highlighting the killing of journalist Sandeep Kothari, who was kidnapped from Balaghat district and burnt alive allegedly by the mining mafia last month. His body was found in Maharashtra.
The multi-crore MP Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, popularly known as the Vyapam scam, involving politicians, bureaucrats and high profile touts, pertains to massive admissions and recruitments to Government medical colleges and Government’s departments by fraudulent means.
The CBI, which is now probing the scam following the Supreme Court’s order, has already registered over a dozen cases related to the racket.
The MP’s Special Task Force, which earlier probed the scam, had registered about 55 FIRs and put up 28 challans in the court in connection with the scandal.
Official sources said that preparations are complete for the session. Speaker Sitasaran Sharma took stock of the premises and the House arrangements on Sunday, in the presence of Principal Secretary Bhagwandas Israni.
Until now, 3,319 questions have been received by the Secretariat and of them 1,972 are starred. Nine adjournment notices, 162 calling attention notices, 36 private members Bills, 49 Zero Hour notices and four notices pertaining to proposals for legislation were submitted.