MP government to get Vyapam scam probed afresh: Rahul

The Vyapam scam had been probed by Special task Force (STF), Special Investigation Team (SIT) and finally by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and state government officers were jailed in this connection

This will be Gandhi's first poll campaign tour in the state after the announcement of Lok Sabha election schedule./ Congress President Rahul Gandhi

Hoshangabad (Madhya Pradesh): Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that there will be fresh investigation into the scam involving Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, commonly known as Vyapam (Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal). Addressing an election rally in Hoshangabad-Narsinghpur parliamentary constituency, Gandhi said: "There will be fresh probe into Vyapam scam, in which BJP leaders have stolen money from the pocket of unemployed youth." Pointing towards state's Chief Minister Kamal Nath, the Congress leader asked him to get the scam probed afresh. The Vyapam scam had been probed by Special task Force (STF), Special Investigation Team (SIT) and finally by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and state government officers were jailed in this connection. However, currently most of them are out on bail. Gandhi said: "After May 23, the law of the land will change and no farmer will be jailed for their inability to repay loans. Big businessmen and industrialists default on loans and flee abroad...they are not jailed but poor farmers are sent behind bars for similar default. The Congress party has stated this in its election manifesto." He said that a special for farmers would precede the tabling of general budget every year, which would talk about minimum support price (MSP) for their crops and various facilities to be provided to them through the year. Gandhi said: "The (Congress) government at the Centre will give 33 per cent reservation to women in jobs in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and state assemblies. If any youth wants to start his business, no clearance will be required from any government department. After three years, when his business starts running smoothly, then only he would need the mandatory clearances." Reminding the people of BJP's promise of providing Rs 15 lakh to every individual, the Congress President said this promise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was never met. "That's why, the slogan of 'chowkidar chor hai' has become a slogan of not just Congress party but that of the poor, farmers, labourers, youth and women," he said. Talking about demonetisation, Gandhi said that initiatives like note ban and Goods and Services Tax (GST) destroyed the Indian economy. "But the Congress has decided that soon after coming to power, we will implement our 'Nyay' scheme (minimum income scheme), so that poorest of the poor are provided Rs 6,000 every month and Rs 72,000 annually. This amount will be provided till the time family's income touches Rs 12,000 per month." The fund to run this scheme would not be squeezed out of the middle class' pockets, he said, adding that people like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya would be made to pay for this scheme.