BJP arms its MPs with booklets on Vyapam scam to counter Opposition in Parliament

New Delhi: While the Congress is unrelenting in its demand over Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's resignation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also getting ready to take on the Opposition attack on the Vyapam scam.

The BJP's parliamentary party will be meeting on Tuesday morning where they will distribute a booklet on the scam to all its members of Parliament (MPs). The booklet covers answers to all questions that the BJP leaders may face from the Congress.

The booklet highlights the probe into the scam in detail. It also reiterates that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the scam was initiated at the behest of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. It also speaks about how the Vyapam scam is a political gimmick by the Congress and that it is the opposition parties that have linked several deaths to the scam.

The Central government led by Narendra Modi has maintained that they are ready to discuss all controversial issues involving the Vyapam scam in the House. According to the sources, the government agreed on the condition that corruption in all states must be discussed on the floor of the House.

Chouhan is under fire over the scam in which nearly 50 people have died so far. The Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam relates to irregularities in admission in state-run medical colleges and recruitment in government jobs.

Meanwhile, BJP is also facing a dissent from within the party over the Vyapam scam. Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar had written a letter to party President Amit Shah saying that the multi-crore Vyapam scam has dented the image of the National Democratic Alliance.

He had also raised concern over allegations the party is facing in the Rajasthan and Maharashtra and said it is affecting the morale of the party workers. He even called for setting up an ethics committee to act as a Lokpal to keep a check on party leaders.

In a stinging reply to Kumar, Chauhan said that he should have ascertained the facts before sending a letter to Amit Shah. "It would have been better if facts related to Vyapam had been gathered before shooting off letter to party president," Chouhan wrote in the letter. He also said in his reply that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure a fair probe into the scam.