‘Q’ leak: Bhakta sees a ‘plot’, shoots off letter to CM

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), March 14, 2013

By Express News Service - BHUBANESWAR

14th March 2013 11:47 AM

Alleging that the State Government is intentionally making false accusations against him over question paper leak in the Plus-Two examination to damage his reputation, senior Congress leader and Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das on Wednesday demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court or an investigation by the CBI into the matter.

 ‘’This is nothing but shifting the blame to somebody else for the mistake committed by the Education Minister and you (Chief Minister),” Das said in a hard-hitting letter to Naveen Patnaik. “It is your duty to review and monitor the education system of the State as the Chief Minister.”

Stating that he had written numerous letters to  him over wagon factory, medical college and other issues concerning the poor people which were ignored, Das said, “when loophole in the system came to the fore, your government is simply trying to shift the blame to me.”

An MP is bound to listen and redress the grievances of the people. He forwarded the request of the students to the department concerned. The students of  Mahalinga Anchalika College had to travel 35-40 km to appear for examination. “But how can an MP of another political party be held responsible for the malfunctioning of the State Government,” he asked.  “Earlier also, you wanted to involve me in the case of Shivaji Majhi and mislead the people of Odisha,” the Congress MP said and added that now the truth is out.

Alleging that there is also a deep conspiracy to defame him in this case, Das said when the first inspection team from Dharamgarh visited the college, the superintendent was away and with the district level consultant (DLC). The DLC called the team and asked them to go back saying there was no need for an inspection.

Two hours later, another inspection team visited and insisted on checking the treasury. The team waited for the superintendent for three hours and found that the seal of one packet was tampered with. Stating that this gives rise to many questions, Das asked what is the system for conducting an examination. Who gave orders for declaring Mahalinga College an examination centre and what role an MP has in this.

Asking whether the superintendent and DLC wanted to keep away from the college deliberately, Bhakta asked who sent a fax message to Khariar College when the team was on its way and why.