The unexpected turn of events in the Vyapam scam is likely to cement Opposition unity on the floor of both Houses of Parliament. While opposition parties voiced different views on the Lalit Modi controversy, the Vyapam scam seems to have drawn them to a single platform against the BJP.
The Congress, which is spearheading the attack against the BJP, particularly against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make his stand clear on the issue. “Modi’s silence is deafening,” said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
He questioned Chouhan’s rejection of the demand for a Supreme Court monitored enquiry by saying that the High Court is investigating the matter. “Chouhan is misleading the nation. He is hoodwinking the truth. Till today, there is no order from the Jabalpur Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court quashing investigation into these 45 or 46 mysterious deaths.
“If Modi and Chouhan want, an investigation can be ordered monitored by a sitting Supreme Court judge and with CBI acting as an SIT,” Surjewala said, adding that Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley have demanded a detailed probe into the issue.
The clamour for strict action is getting louder. Six Left parties have decided to hold a joint protest to “expose corruption at high levels in the BJP government as well as in various States” on July 20.
The parties said in a joint statement that the admission and recruitment scam in Madhya Pradesh has exposed the BJP State government as having perpetrated one of the worst corruption cases in Madhya Pradesh ever.
“Officially 27 people associated with this case, including nine important witnesses, have died under mysterious circumstances. Important journalists reporting on the scam have also been victims of such mysterious deaths. Nearly 47 inexplicable deaths of people connected with this scam in one way or the other have been reported,” the parties said.
The AAP has also approached the Supreme Court. “The nation is in shock after learning the developments in the Vyapam scam, the conditions have forced me to move a PIL with Supreme Court, requesting a probe in the scam immediately. Although the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Madhya Pradesh government has been investigating the case, there have already been 45 deaths so far,” AAP leader Kumar Vishwas told reporters after filing the PIL.
PTI reports: Delhi CM Kejriwal said today something must be done to prevent the deaths and the guilty must be punished.
“People want Prime Minister to speak and intervene in Vyapam. PM should no more remain silent,” he tweeted.