Following the leakage of a question paper during a recruitment exam held by the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) on March 5, Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao has alleged that one of the accused in the case is an active worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing the media on the issue on Saturday, March 18, KTR said that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government would not spare the two suspended employees of TSPSC who allegedly leaked the question paper of the recruitment exam for the post of Assistant Engineer in various departments.
Alleging that one of the accused in the case is an active worker of the BJP, he requested the Director General of Police (DGP) Anjani Kumar to investigate if there was any conspiracy to defame the BRS government and provoke youth to agitate against it. KTR addressed a press conference after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reviewed the developments since the question paper leak came to light. The case has had a rippling effect over state recruitment exams, as the TSPSC decided to cancel four exams, including Group-I exams conducted in the last few months. These exams will now have to be conducted again.
The question paper leak also triggered a political row, with opposition parties demanding a judicial probe or an inquiry led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They also called for the resignation of Minister KTR and even CM KCR.
Rejecting the calls by the opposition parties asking him to step down from the position of state minister, KTR said that the TSPSC is a constitutional body and the state government has no role in its day-to-day functioning. "I am the Minister for Information Technology, but does that mean I am responsible for every computer in the state?" he asked.
The accused employees of TSPSC had managed to steal the data from the computer of the confidential section of the Commission, and had sold the question paper to some of the other accused for Rs 10 lakh.
KTR appealed to the opposition parties to stop “playing with the lives of the youth” by “instigating” them against the BRS government for trivial political gains. "The candidates are sensitive, and they are upset as they have to write the exams again. I request the Opposition to not provoke them," he said.
The Minister said that an unfortunate mistake committed by two individuals has brought disrepute to an entire institution. "It's not a failure of the system or institution. It's because of the mistake of two individuals that lakhs of youth are facing difficulties. We are working on how to rectify this and ensure that such a thing does not happen in the future. We are consulting experts and will bring whatever reforms are required," he said.
He said that the BRS government would not spare the two accused, Praveen Kumar and Rajashekar Reddy, or whoever might be behind them. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting a probe, and stringent action will be taken against those found involved, he said.
The minister alleged that Rajashekar Reddy was an active worker of the BJP and had been appealing to people to support the party. He displayed photographs of the contract employee of TSPSC with certain BJP leaders. "If such a person is caught in the case, it raises many doubts. The police will investigate if there is a conspiracy behind this. They will find out if there is a criminal motive to defame the government and provoke youth. Whoever is behind this, be it from the BJP, Congress or BRS, there is no question of sparing them," he said.
KTR claimed that when TSPSC was issuing notifications for recruitments in government departments, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar had called it a conspiracy. The BJP leader had reportedly alleged that the government was keeping youth busy with exams, thus not allowing them to work with the BJP.
KTR announced that the BRS government has decided to provide free coaching material to candidates preparing for re-examinations. He said the coaching material for all four exams to be reconducted will be available online for free. Study circles for students from SCs, STs, BCs, minorities and the economically weaker sections among upper castes will be strengthened across the state, he said. The reading rooms in all districts will remain open round-the-clock to enable students to prepare for exams, and they will be provided free study material and food, he added.
With IANS inputs