MPPEB scam: Cong demands CBI probe

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly was today adjourned for the day due to ruckus created by Opposition Congress demanding a CBI probe into the M P Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam.

As the House assembled for the day, Congress members led by Sunderlal Tiwari, Mukesh Nayak and others raised the issue and demanded that the government handover the probe to CBI.

Speaker Dr Sitasharan Sharma appealed them to allow the Question Hour to finish, as Leader of Opposition Satyadev Katare had already raised the matter yesterday.

Sharma also said that Congress members had lost the opportunity to raise this issue during Question Hour yesterday too even when it was listed as a starred question.

But when Congress members did not relent, the Speaker adjourned the House first for ten minutes and later for another half-an-hour as din prevailed.

When the House re-assembled for taking up the listed business, the Congress members again disrupted the proceedings and trooped into the well of the House raising slogans in support of their demand.

They also staged a sit-in for a brief period in the well on the issue.

Amid scenes of uproar, the Speaker proceeded with the business of the House including passing of vote-on-account for 2014-15 by a voice vote which was presented by MP Finance Minister Jayant Mallaiya.

The Speaker then requested the members to return to their seats for initiating a discussion on rain/hail/cold affected crops which remained inconclusive yesterday, but Congress members did not relent and continued with the slogan-shouting in the Well following which the Speaker adjourned the House till tomorrow.

The scam came to light in July 2013 after alleged irregularities were found in the state's Pre-Medical Test (PMT) and in the recruitment for various government posts, including contractual teachers. It is being probed by Madhya Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT).