File picture of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Defending the embattled Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Vyapam scandal, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said the state government has accepted all the demands for an independent probe and there was no need for Mr Chouhan to resign.
"Madhya Pradesh government has accepted all the demands for an independent and fair probe and merely on the basis of statements (demanding resignation), the Chief Minister cannot resign," Mr Parrikar told reporters.
The case has been handed over to the CBI now and it was better to wait for its report, he added.
With regard to the opposition's demand that Shivraj Singh Chouhan must resign, Mr Parrikar said if a Chief Minister were to resign only because of such demands, then no Chief Minister or a minister would remain in power anywhere in the country.
The Defence Minister arrived in Gwalior to attend a function at Maharajpur Air Base to induct Aakash missile system into the Air Force.
Asked about Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif's threat to India, Mr Parrikar said, "We are in full preparedness."