BJP dares CM Sheila Dikshit to order independent probe into its allegations

NEW DELHI: The Delhi BJP today asked Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to order an independent probe into its allegations that Education Department encouraged students of government schools to resort to cheating and using unfair means to ensure high pass percentages in board exams.

Dikshit had yesterday rejected BJP's allegations and slammed the party for "belittling" Delhi's people.

Demanding a probe into the "fraud", Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel said Dikshit and Education Minister Kiran Walia were indulging in rhetoric to give an emotional overtone to the issue while refusing to answer some basic questions put forth by him.

On Saturday, Goel, quoting findings of a survey conducted by his party, had alleged a "massive fraud" in education department and claimed that often teachers are "forced" to keep on pushing students to next level due pressure from higher ups even though they are not eligible to be promoted.

He had also accused the Delhi government of fudging the attendance records of the students.

"We are demanding an independent inquiry into this massive fraud by a three-member committee of sitting or retired judges. If the Chief Minister is so confident (that nothing wrong happened) then what stops her from ordering a probe into the issue," he said.

Responding to Dikshit's remarks, Goel also challenged her to participate in an open debate with him on the issue.

"I am challenging the Chief Minister to have a debate with me on this issue on any independent forum. The Chief Minister and Walia are indulging in rhetoric to give an emotional overtone to the whole issue but they have refused to answer some of the basic questions like why the government shutdown 80 government schools," he said.

Goel also asked why Dikshit did not respond to his question on the reason behind government's failure to fill-up 12,000 vacant posts of teachers in the schools.