Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Madhya Pradesh under Bharatiya Janata Party rule had become an epicentre of corruption. He cited an alleged ₹1,200-crore rice scam linked to ethanol production and said rice meant for malnourished children, pregnant women and adolescent girls was diverted for profit.

Kharge also alleged that nearly five lakh metric tonnes of rice may have been siphoned off with the help of millers, the ethanol sector and government machinery. He referred to an alleged land scam in Ujjain involving land meant for infrastructure and a highway corridor.

Kharge said corruption had spread across departments, began with the Vyapam scandal, and continued through paper leaks and other cases under successive Bharatiya Janata Party governments. He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of silence and said the Modi-Shah leadership had weakened public accountability.

Why the issue matters for UPSC

The case is relevant to GS2 because it links corruption with welfare delivery, administrative accountability and public trust. It is also useful for GS3 because leakage of food grain, procurement fraud and land misuse affect state capacity, governance outcomes and rule-based administration.

Key facts for Prelims

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