Kharge calls Madhya Pradesh ‘epicentre of corruption’, cites alleged ₹1,200-crore rice scamt
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (July 11, 2026) alleged that Madhya Pradesh had become the “epicentre of corruption and plunder” under the BJP and
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (July 11, 2026) alleged that Madhya Pradesh had become the “epicentre of corruption and plunder” under the BJP and claimed the State had turned into a byword for graft, citing an alleged ₹1,200-crore rice scam linked to ethanol production. In a post on X, Mr. Kharge alleged that rice meant for the nutrition of malnourished children, pregnant women and adolescent girls had been diverted for ethanol production in collusion with rice millers, the “ethanol mafia” and the BJP government. The Congress claimed that nearly five lakh metric tonnes of rice had been siphoned off in a “game of profit”, alleging that the diversion took place with the connivance of the government machinery.
“With the collusion of the BJP and the government machinery, the public’s rightful grain is being looted,” he said. The Congress chief also referred to an alleged land scam in Ujjain, claiming land expansion had taken place in areas earmarked for government infrastructure projects and a highway corridor. He alleged that the developments had raised questions over the role of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Kharge said corruption had become pervasive across government departments in the State, alleging that “one scam does not even end before another one surfaces”. Referring to the alleged Vyapam scam — involving bribery in recruitment of government jobs and professional exams — as the starting point of corruption, he alleged that repeated paper leaks and corruption cases had continued unabated under successive BJP governments.
Accusing the BJP of turning Madhya Pradesh into a “model of corruption”, Mr. Kharge claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remained silent on the allegations. He further alleged that the “Modi-Shah (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) duo” had undermined accountability in public life through the “arrogance of power”. The Congress attack came amid an official probe into an alleged racket involving subsidised rice supplied to ethanol plants in Madhya Pradesh. According to media reports, the State police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate allegations that rice dispatched to empanelled ethanol units was diverted to private rice mills, re-entered the procurement and custom milling cycle, and allegedly sold back to government agencies.
Four persons have reportedly been arrested so far, while investigators are examining the role of rice millers, transporters and officials.
The BriefWire