I am no way involved in any wrongdoing: Chouhan on Vyapam scam

Bhopal, Aug 19: Just three months short of completing a decade in office on November 29, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said he has not indulged in any wrongdoing in the Vyapam scam and that he sticks to 'honesty is the best policy' approach in politics.

"I am discharging my duties honestly. I stick to honesty come what may. In democracy, Chief Minister is a servant of people. I follow this core principle religiously," Chouhan told PTI in an interview here.

Chouhan came under fire after the massive irregularities in recruitment in various government departments, especially in the pre-medical examination conducted by MP Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), commonly known by its Hindi acronym Vyapam, came to light.

The scam took larger proportions after a number of people connected with it, including witnesses and accused, died under suspicious circumstances. The opposition Congress has been demanding Chouhan's resignation over the scam.

"Right now I am disturbed that MP's reputation has been tarnished nationwide and globally over the Vyapam scam by the Congress for selfish political motives," Chouhan said. "I am confident that truth will prevail once the CBI inquiry into the scam is over," he said.

I am disturbed that MP's reputation has been tarnished nationwide: Chouhan

To a poser, Chouhan said in the ten years since becoming Chief Minister on November 29, 2005, he has tried to bring transparency in admission and recruitments done by Vyapam.

Earlier, recruitments were done on the basis of paper chits sent by those in power during the Congress regime as a result of which talented young people were left out. In many departments, recruitments were carried out in an unfair manner, he said.

"In order to check this menace and purge the system, recruitment procedures were made transparent under Vyapam," he said.

Vyapam has carried out tests of 1.7 crore aspirants for jobs in government services and admission to medical courses and among them 3.54 lakh candidates were selected since 2007, he said.

PTI