Vyapam Scam: Rahul Gandhi asks PM Modi his reasons to stand with scandal-hit ministers

NEW DELHI: After the Supreme Court order on Vaypam scam shook up the ruling BJP, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi led his party’s frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, daring him to walk the talk on corruption. He asked why the PM was still standing firm with scandal-hit Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje and Sushma Swaraj. The Congress has also decided to launch statewide agitations in MP, with a bandh call on July 17, to press for the resignation of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister.

"What happened to the prime minister’s talks of ‘na khaoonga na khaney doonga’ (I won’t be corrupt nor allow corruption)," Rahul asked sarc a s t i c a l l y. Pointing out how the NDA regime and the BJP governments in MP and Rajasthan have been engulfed in the LaMo and Vyapam scandals, Gandhi said, "prime minister, your words should carry some weight. Aap Rajasthan mein khaney kyun de rahey hain? (Why are you allowing corruption in Rajasthan?) Why are you not bringing back Lalit Modi? Aap Shivraj Singh Chouhan ko Khaaney kyun de rahey hain? (Why are you allowing Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s corruption?)"

Earlier in the day, Congress’ Digvijaya Singh, who had filed a PIL in the SC, attacked Chouhan and the NDA regime, even as he saluted the apex court ruling. On MP governor Ram Naresh Yadav, Singh said he would "appeal" to the governor to resign instead of making the demand.