The ruling Nitish Kumar government in Bihar appeared to have come under trouble on Friday with a united opposition seeking for a CBI probe into the alleged leaking of question papers for recruitment test conducted by the state-run Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) for appointment of clerks.
The demand for probe gained momentum following revelation that many ministers, IAS officers and legislators were allegedly involved in the racket. So far, the police have arrested BSSC secretary Parmeshwar Ram and seven others in connection with the paper leak, and the matter is still under investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of state police.
The clamour for CBI probe picked up steam shortly after the arrested secretary reportedly told his interrogators that many high-profile people, from ministers to top bureaucrats, were involved in the racket and dared the police also arrest them.
“I am only a small pawn. I dare you people to arrest the powerful persons who are running the racket,” Ram was learnt to have learnt to have told his interrogators before being thrown into the jail. The investigation team also came across many job recommendation messages sent to Ram’s mobile by some ministers, astounding them quite much, as per reports.
According to unconfirmed reports, the arrested BSSC secretary said some seven ministers, nine IAS officers and 29 legislators were allegedly involved in the racket which surfaced earlier this week after an inquiry was ordered by chief minister Nitish Kumar. The CM ordered the probe after the leaked question papers of the February 5 inter-level clerk examination went viral in the social media ahead of the examination, leading to large protests by the candidates.
“We want a CBI probe into the entire matter to let the truth come out. There are reports of seven ministers, 29 legislators and nine IAS officers having been involved in the paper leak scandal. The government should immediately reveal who ones are involved in the racket,” Bihar opposition leader Prem Kumar told newsmen on Friday, adding only a CBI investigation could reveal the truth.
He alleged the Nitish Kumar government talks about “development with justice” but the fact is that the scandals have become an order of the day in Bihar. “Toppers scams, answer-sheet scam, book purchase scam and scholarship scam etc have surfaced at frequent intervals in the state but the NItish Kumar government has been rather busy covering them up,” alleges Mr Kumar, a senior BJP leader.
State president of the Jan Adhikar Party Bhagwan Singh Kushawaha too demanded for a CBI probe into the paper leak scandal and dismissal of all those involved into it. “The arrested BSSC secretary Parmeshwar Ram has told the SIT that large-scale irregularities were committed in all appointments made by his department in the past five years. Now, it is the moral duty of the chief minister to bring out the truth,” asked Mr Kushwaha, blaming the chief minister for pushing the state education system on the brink of disaster.
This is the third time in the quick succession that the scandal has rocked BIhar. Last year, topper scandal had hit the state, which saw many incompetent students topping the merit chart of intermediate examination conducted by the Bihar School Examination Board. Prior to that the parents were caught on cameras clambering the walls of examination centre and passing on chits to the near and dear ones taking matriculation examination.