Scam-tainted Vyapam's name changed twice in 7 yrs but allegations linger

Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Madhya Pradesh government has changed the scam-tainted Vyapam's name twice in the last seven years, now known as the Staff Selection Board. However, allegations of scams are refusing to die down and the department is in the news again for alleged leak of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper and the irregularities in police constable recruitment exam.

This time the accusation was made against Chief Minister's OSD Laxman Singh Markam by Vyapam whistleblower Anand Rai and the state Congress General Secretary (media) K.K. Mishra. It came after a purported screenshot of the question-cum-answersheet of TET went viral on social media and the duo (Rai and Mishra) claimed the alleged involvement of Markam in the matter.

Rai and Mishra claimed that the purported screenshot was released from Markam's mobile phone and have demanded a probe in the matter. "The screenshot of question-answer sheet surfaced on social media on March 26, which suggests the involvement of CM's OSD. We will present all proof if investigation is ordered in the matter," Mishra told IANS.

In response to the allegations, Markam lodged an FIR against Rai and Mishra alleging that the duo had shared 'misleading information' related to him on the paper leak. He accused Rai of making objectionable social media posts and sharing screenshots of a person with his name.

Subsequently, politics in the state has heated up. While the Congress reacted with outrage and demanded that the charges be dropped against Mishra, the state home minister Narottam Mishra called it a well-planned conspiracy to defame the BJP government.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president and the former Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, "It is a matter of serious concern that the question paper has been found on the mobile phone of a CMO official. Instead of protecting the tainted official, the chief minister should get the matter investigated immediately, so that the future of these candidates is secured and fears of another Vyapam scam in the state are eliminated."

State Home Minister Narottam Mishra defended Markam and said, "Markam is an honest officer and it is an attempt to defame him and the BJP government for getting political mileage. It is a conspiracy to make accusations against the chief minister's OSD over a mobile phone screenshot. If there is a petition filed asking for a probe in the matter, then the investigation will be ordered."

Sources in the Congress said a petition to seek investigation in the matter will be filed in the High Court soon.

The TET was conducted by the Staff Selection Board (earlier known as Vyapam) on March 25.

While, the aspirants who appeared in the police constable recruitment exams, have alleged irregularities in the selection system and staged a protest in Bhopal on Monday.

The Vyapam scam was unearthed in 2013. The state government first rechristened it as Professional Examination Board (PEB) in 2015 and in February this year renamed it as Karmchaari Chayan Mandal (Staff Selection Board).

--IANS

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