Opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh today demanded a CBI probe into the death of a local journalist who committed suicide after allegedly being threatened by certain officials against whom he had filed a PIL in the High Court for forging caste certificates.
"The Congress demands CBI probe into the suicide of Rajendra Kumar as he had taken the extreme step before the room of the State Chief Secretary yesterday," the state unit Congress vice president Rameshwar Neekhra told reporters.
39-year-old Kumar, who used to run a weekly newspaper, had consumed poison yesterday while demanding action against alleged corruption in the state government.
Kumar was admitted to Hamidia hospital where he died late night, police said.
Neekhra said that Kumar came to know through RTI that nearly 300 officials who did not belong to the SC category had used fake certificates to get jobs, and was receiving death threats from them.
Kumar who had filed a PIL in the high court on the issue was being pressurised to withdraw it, he said.
"Since the entire state is being run from Mantralaya and Kumar taking the extreme step in front of the CS' office, it's a matter of concern as it is associated with the security of the Secretariat and reflects poorly on government's sensitivity," Neekhra added.
He demanded that the Election Commission should also take cognisance of the matter since state is bound by Model Code of Conduct and also initiate steps to terminate services of the employees Kumar mentioned in his plea.
The Leader of Opposition in MP Assembly, Ajay Singh has charged the state government of being insensitive towards such issues.
In a statement, Ajay said the manner in which Kumar died exposed the BJP government in the state and demanded action against those found guilty. He also demanded that one member of Kumar's family be given a government job.
