Punjab Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka.
Chandigarh, May 26, 2013: The Punjab Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka today turned the political tables on the opposition Congress party, offering to face any inquiry by a credible independent third agency into allegations of irregularities in purchase of school books.
Maluka asked the PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa to demand similar probe into scams of the UPA Government in Delhi.
Addressing media persons at Punjab Bhawan this afternoon, he said< “I am ready to face any inquiry by any agency to be decided by the chief minister. I do not want an eye wash in the form of an internal inquiry. I am going to meet Parkash Singh Badal right away to order a comprehensive probe into every allegation and punish anyone including me guilty."
Maluka said that some irregularities in book purchase process were brought to his notice even before these appeared in newspapers "I immediately ordered a thorough probe to cover all irregularities . We stopped the purchase and distribution of books immediately. All this was before the media dragged my own name into it," said Maluka.
But the Minister said that he wished to uphold the highest standards of probity in public life. "Now that my own name figures in the controversy, I do not want to the inquiry to be conducted by anyone subordinate to me in the department. I am the boss here, and the buck stops with me. Therefore, I have decided to approach the Chief Minister and request him to get the entire issue, including my role, probed by someone who is independent of me. The Chief Minster and the Deputy Chief Minster have themselves set high standards for accountability in integrity and honesty in public life. I do not wish to do anything that lowers the bar."