Cong disrupts MP House over MPPEB scam; demands CM's resignation

Bhopal, Feb 23: Seeking the resignation of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, Opposition Congress today created a furore in the ongoing Budget session of the Legislative Assembly here, prompting Speaker Sitasharan Sharma to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.

After the Question Hour ended, and the Zero Hour was to begin, Leader of the Opposition Satyadev Katare, along with Ramniwas Rawat and Sunderlal Tiwari demanded the copies of excel sheet (on the basis of which the chargesheets are being filed in MPPEB scam) which were appearing prominently in newspapers and sought Chouhan's clarification on it.

The Opposition trooped into the well demanding Chouhan's resignation on the matter, chanted slogans against him and stalled the proceedings of the House, despite the Speaker's plea to maintain calm.

Speaker Sharma said that the Opposition was free to raise the issue but should do so in accordance with the House rules and procedures.

State Assembly Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra said that the Opposition was misusing the forum (assembly) adding that the Congress has raised the issue many a times but the people in the past elections have replied to them.

However, Congress members said that the MP High Court has directed the state government to take action against high dignitaries (after SIT monitoring the investigation into the scam handed over a sealed envelope with the names to the court) in connection with the MPPEB scam, and thus his name should be made public.

After repeated attempts to mollify the Opposition, the Speaker finally adjourned the House for 15 minutes.

Before entering the House, the Congress members adopted an aggressive posture. They shouted slogans in the premises of the Assembly for quite some time and entered the House late.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babulal Gaur even made reference to the absence of the Opposition during the start of Question Hour.

PTI