TSPSC exam paper leak kicks up a political storm

Hyderabad: The issue of exam paper leak that had rocked the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) seems to be taking a political turn and is being seen as an opportunity by the BRS and BJP to get political mileage ahead of the Assembly elections towards end of 2023.

While the probe is still on into the paper leak scam, both BRS and BJP leaders on Thursday were busy digging out the past record of the accused to claim that they have links with the rivals. fter police arrested nine accused in the case on Monday, the opposition parties, student and youth organisations demanded the resignation of TSPSC Chairman Janardhan Reddy.

The TSPSC had conducted the examination on March 5 for 833 vacancies of Assistant Engineer, Municipal Assistant Engineer, Technical Officer, and Junior Technical Officer in various engineering departments. A total of 55,000 candidates had written the exam. Following this the Commission had cancelled the exam and postponed other exams scheduled to be held later this month.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have made serious allegations against the Commission head, who is appointed by the State government. Doubts were also raised about the exams conducted in the past. Going a step ahead, BJP leaders alleged that top leaders of the BRS were behind exam paper leak. BJP state President Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that question papers of all TSPSC exams were leaked and that the BRS government is messing around with the lives of unemployed youth.

The BJP leader also shared the OMR sheet of P Praveen Kumar, key accused in the case. He said Praveen, who was personal assistant of TSPSC secretary, secured highest marks in Group I prelims. Hitting back at the BJP, BRS leaders shared on social media photographs of second accused Atla Rajasekhar Reddy with BJP leaders. The police reportedly identified the accused as an active worker of the BJP. The BRS has alleged that the paper leak case is a conspiracy by the BJP to defame the ruling party.

Minister K T Rama Rao took to Twitter to request the Director General of Police to enquire this matter thoroughly and bring perpetrators to justice. "Even by the very low standards of BJP, this is vulgarity at its worst just to malign Telangana government, BJP seems to have hatched a conspiracy to destroy the lives of innocent youth," KTR wrote.

Sanjay came out with fresh allegations on Thursday. He alleged that Renuka who honey trapped Praveen is associated with the BRS. He claimed that her mother is the Sarpanch of Mansoorpally village and belongs to BRS. The BJP leader said Renuka and her husband got government jobs because of the BRS while Rajasekhar was hired by the TSPSC. "BRS does all criminal things and shamelessly blames the BJP," he retorted.