Bhopal, Jul 2 (IANS): Congress legislators levelled serious allegations against BJP Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Vishwas Sarang on Tuesday in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, during a discussion on the nursing colleges scam.

Notably, more than 600 nursing colleges were found running on paper or not complying with norms of the government in Madhya Pradesh.

During the discussion on the scam on the second day of the Monsoon Session of the Assembly, Congress legislators unanimously said the officials who acted on the minister's direction were found involved in the nursing colleges scam.

"Several colleges were running on paper for the last several years and the minister approved them. Officials acted on the direction of the minister, then the minister’s role needs to be examined," Congress MLA Hemant Katare said.

Katare, who is also the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, said, "Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has taken action against the officials involved in the irregularities. Congress demands an investigation on the role of the then Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang."

Congress MLA from the Raghogarh Assembly seat, Jaivardhan Singh during the discussion claimed that more than 40 blacklisted nursing colleges were allowed to function on the direction of Sarang.

"This is a serious issue, which is related to the future of four lakh youths. Officials were arrested for irregularities. Then, the minister's role needs to be examined through a committee," Jaivardhan Singh said in the Assembly.

The Congress demanded that the state government release the names of the nursing colleges and their proprietors.

Many of the colleges that were blacklisted were reopened on the directions of the minister.

The matter is being investigated by the CBI under the supervision of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.