Oppn stages walkout in MP Assly over bicycles scam

Bhopal, Mar 3 (UNI) The entire Opposition led by the Congress today staged a walk out in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly alleging a scam in the distribution of bicycles to girl students in government schools.

School Education Minister Gaurishankar Shejwar denied the charges and claimed that payments to concerned company had been halted in cases where distributed cycles were found of sub-standard quality.

According to rules, he said, the concerned company was required to take cycle parts to a village and assemble it there. In some cases, cycle parts were not fixed properly and were found of sub-standard quality. Payments were stopped in such cases.

Raising the matter during the Question Hour, Mr Indrajeet Kumar (Congress) said sub-standard quality bicycles were distributed to girls across the state. Alleging corruption, he cited a government report that mentioned faults had been detected in 15 bicycles.

Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi alleged that a scam in bicycle distribution had taken place. She said cycle parts had been brought from China and assembled. This amounted to cheating with girl students.

Later, members of the SP, the Gondwana Ganatantra Party and other Opposition members led by the Congress staged a walkout.

UNI PKJ-PS SW KN1736