Politics in poll-bound MP heats up over alleged irregularities in Patwari recruitment exam

Bhopal, July 14 A day after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan put the appointments of successful candidates of the Group 2 and Patwari recruitment examination on hold following apprehensions of alleged "irregularities", a group of selected students claimed their "future has been put at stake". Over a dozen selected candidates on Friday met state Home Minister Narottam Mishra here and requested to "protect" their future.

The selected candidates claimed that due to seven candidates, (who's results are under suspicion), they should not get punished as they have cleared the exams honestly.

In a meeting with the minister, the selected candidates claimed some Indore-based coaching owners have instigated their students to stage protests against recruitment exams. "Coaching owners have convinced their students that they would get another attempt, if the exam is cancelled. Why are we being punished?" the candidates said during the meeting with the Minister.

In response, Mishra said the Congress has raised questions over transparency on the recruitment exams, which is why the government has put the appointments of selected candidates on hold. "Congress has levelled serious allegations on the process of selection and therefore, I am challenging them to come with facts and tell the people what kind of irregularities they have found. I would reply to all their allegations," Mishra added.

Mishra also accused the Congress of playing dirty politics over the future of youths and advised selected candidates to meet Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh, who have misled the people through their fake allegations.

"Kamal Nath is doing dirty politics regarding the Patwari recruitment exam. The Congress, which has lost its base in the state, is trying to create confusion among the youth on the basis of wrong facts," he added.

CM Chouhan on Thursday announced that the process of appointments of selected candidates would be kept on hold and inquiry would be conducted on any alleged irregularities in the examination.

Following this, state Congress head Kamal Nath said the government should expose the main accused, and merely putting appointments on hold would not bring justice to the students. "Stopping appointments is one thing and catching the real culprits is another. In the Vyapam and Nursing scams also, the government tried to cover up the matter by taking similar action and shielded the main conspirators belonging to the ruling party," Kamal Nath said.