Vyapam: Congress says BJP putting roadblocks of lame duck excuses

Latest decision of Shivraj to write to HC for CBI probe is another attempt to muzzle the truth, said Randeep Surjewala

Congress today dismissed MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's decision to request the High Court to conduct a CBI inquiry into the Vyapam scam, insisting that a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe could alone ensure a "fair" investigation.

"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," party's communication department chief Randeep Surjewala said.

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"Time BJP owned up to truth instead of putting repeated roadblocks of lame duck excuses", he said.

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. Ms 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.

The Congress leader charged that all of this was "classic BJP doublespeak to quieten and muddle the truth".

Congress leader Digvijay Singh criticised the Prime Minister's silence on the issue.

"The Prime Minister remains mum in the country, he only tweets about what is happening in Tunisia, Algeria," he said.

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.

Asked whether the Chief Minister should resign, Singh said if Chouhan was in the Congress party, he would have been removed long back.

"Moral standards of Congress and BJP are different," he stated.

Replying to a question, he said the "needle of suspicion" was on the chief minister.

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.