BHUBANESWAR: The political blame game over the irregularities in the Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE) 2024 recruitment test has intensified with the BJD on Friday alleging that one of the suspects was associated with the ruling BJP and the latter hit back saying the opposition parties were responsible for the rot in the examination system.
Addressing a media conference here, BJD spokesperson Tumbanath Panda and president of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) Ipsita Sahu alleged that Shankar Prusty, one of the directors of Panchsoft Technologies Private Limited, which was entrusted with the task conducting the written recruitment test for the CPSE 2024 had joined BJP in the presence of state president of the party Manmohan Samal recently. The BJD leaders also released a photograph of Prusty with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and demanded CBI probe into the scam.
The BJD leaders alleged that during the last 15 months, 16 recruitment tests have been cancelled at the last moment, pushing the future of thousands of youths to darkness. Alleging that some members of the state cabinet and senior officials are involved in the scam, the leaders questioned the selection of an inexperienced company like Panchsoft Technologies for such an important work.
The Congress also demanded a CBI probe or a probe monitored by a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court alleging that senior police officials are involved in the case. Congress spokesperson Bibhuti Bhusan Mohapatra said one of the 117 aspirants who have been arrested is the son of a retired DIG rank officer.
However, the state president of the BJP Manmohan Samal dismissed the allegations. “BJP does not have any link. We would not have cancelled the examination if we had any link with it,” he added.
Samal stated that irregularities in recruitment tests have become a chronic disease and will have to be uprooted. They have been allowed to spread and fester under the long years of the Congress and BJD in power. “They are now trying to divert attention from their misdeeds and the role they played in promoting such corrupt practices. An operation is needed to root out the disease completely and we will do it,” he said.