Congress has dismissed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s decision to request the High Court for conducting a CBI enquiry into the Vyapam scam, insisting that a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe could alone ensure a “fair” investigation. The Congress also sought Chouhan’s resignation.“latest decision of Shivraj to write to High Court for CBI probe is another attempt to muzzle the truth. Congress rejects it in toto. For a fair probe and justice to victims, Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe is the answer. Time BJP owned up to truth instead of putting repeated roadblocks of lame duck excuses,” AICC chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said.
The Congress reaction came after Chouhan, bowing to public outcry, said that he will request the High Court to order a CBI probe into the Vyapam case, including the large number of deaths of people allegedly linked to the scam.Accusing Chouhan and the BJP leadership of “hoodwinking the truth and attempting to derail investigation”, he said the Chief Minister had earlier rejected a SC-monitored CBI probe into the 49 deaths.“Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asks for an independent probe. Uma Bharti says she fears for life of her supporters. STF chief Chandresh Bhushan says STF officers have concern for their own security”, he noted.
Congress leader Digvijay Singh criticised the Prime Minister’s silence on the issue. Singh, who has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe in the scam, said he would request the apex court to monitor the probe on a weekly basis as it monitored the 2G scam.Former Union Minister and a senior Congress leader from MP Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister should resign with immediate effect and subject himself to an independent probe by CBI under the Supreme Court’s monitoring.“Unless, there is a Supreme Court-monitored independent CBI inquiry into the humongous scam, the misdeeds of the Chief Minister and others involved will never come out,” he said.He dismissed as “hogwash” the Chief Minister’s announcement that “honouring public sentiments, I will request the High Court for a CBI probe”, and said it was only an attempt to ease the mounting pressure of public opinion.