Four days after the Budget Session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly ended abruptly over the MPPEB scam, the Congress Monday organised an open forum acknowledging that the party had somehow failed to attract the affected though their number was in lakhs.
Called ‘Khula Manch’, the opposition party invited Left parties and social activists for the event while taking care not to use its own symbol, fearing that it might dissuade potential participants.
The party provided a platform to some victims who described how they could not clears the examinations organised by the professional examination board or clear the state services examinations.
Rather than letting Congress leaders speak in the beginning, the party found an interesting way to sound credible. Edited versions of stories ran by national television channels and newspapers were shown on a big screen to the audience.
When they spoke, the Congress leaders admitted that the multi-layered scam involving politicians, bureaucrats and syndicates had not affected the electoral prospects of the BJP which beat them at all levels.
“We need your help to take Vyapam (MPPEB scam) to the public,’’ PCC chief Arun Yadav pleaded with the audience.
“Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan admitted in the assembly that 1,000 persons had been illegally recruited during the BJP rule.
Who are these people? Where are they now? What about those who employed them,’’ Leader of Opposition Satyadev Katara asked a series of questions and ended his speech wondering “why were affected students and candidates not taking to the streets?’’.