Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday hit back at Union Minister D. Kumaraswamy over his allegations regarding the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment case, urging him to place facts before the public instead of making what he termed "hit-and-run" accusations.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge said Kumaraswamy appeared to be unaware of the facts while questioning the allegations of tampering with Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets. "The OMR sheets are under the custody of the KPSC and not under the Department of RDPR. That is common sense," Kharge said.
He said the KPSC conducted the examination, released the selection list and recommended recruitment, and questioned why the government should be held responsible for the alleged irregularities. "If the KPSC had done its own enquiry or had got some reports, they should have come to the government. They did not come to the government. They are the ones who conducted the exam. They are the ones who released the list. They are the ones who told us to recruit," he said.
Kharge said the government had subsequently issued a conditional order after objections were raised regarding the recruitment, in accordance with directions of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) and the High Court. "How has that got anything to do with the government?" he asked.
The Home Minister also questioned Kumaraswamy's silence on KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and other members of the commission. "How come Kumaraswamy has not uttered a single word on the KPSC Chairman Shivshankarappa? Not a single word. How come he did not ask who made him a member? Who made him a chairman? Who made the other members? Who nominated the other members of the KPSC?" Kharge said.
He also questioned Kumaraswamy's silence on former Chief Minister S. Yediyurappa and BJP leaders in connection with the case. Kharge said the government would take action irrespective of the political affiliation of those involved.
Kharge said the Karnataka Police had arrested an IAS officer, his driver and an alleged middleman in the case. He alleged that the middleman was fleeing the country when he was arrested by Karnataka Police. He also questioned the role of central agencies, including the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and CBI, in the investigation. Kharge alleged that the pace at which the ED was proceeding in the case raised questions about whether it was seeking to protect BJP leaders.
Kharge also targeted RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over his recent visit to the US and remarks on Muslims being an integral part of India. "Mohan Bhagwat will do anything for funds. In India, it is Hindu Rashtra, but in America, they are a nation which is most secular and democratic and thrives on unity in diversity," Kharge said, questioning why the RSS is not registered in India if it receives foreign funding.
Kumaraswamy, a former chief minister, claimed that the "KPSC scandal" was generating negative national attention for Karnataka. He directed pointed criticism at Kharge, alleging he could not escape responsibility for irregularities in the selection and recruitment of Assistant Executive Engineer Grade-1 posts that occurred during his tenure as the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) minister. He alleged that candidates had been made to sit in a resort, given question papers in advance, and had answers marked on OMR sheets - calling it, sarcastically, "the first such experiment in the country" and claimed Priyank "deserved credit" for it.
He questioned how a minister could claim ignorance of activities within his own department while apparently being well-informed about every other issue in the country, adding that "the public is intelligent enough" to see through such claims. Kumaraswamy also remarked that since taking charge of the Home portfolio, Priyank has been "invoking the RSS from morning to evening" rather than focusing on his own responsibilities.
Responding to Priyank's earlier statement asking Kumaraswamy to speak "with documents in hand," the Union Minister said he had always presented documentary evidence - including probe reports, OMR sheets allegedly altered using carbon copying, and sub-committee reports. He noted that even the Karnataka Chief Minister had acknowledged irregularities in the Assistant Executive Engineer recruitment process on the floor of the state assembly.
Kumaraswamy dragged the name of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and taunted him asking when he would visit Bengaluru to meet those affected by the alleged KPSC scam. "Rahul Gandhi must speak about this," Kumaraswamy said, adding that he "cannot remain silent" over the allegations and urging him to take up the KPSC matter with the same urgency he showed on the NEET controversy.
The controversy centres on alleged irregularities in recruitment of Assistant Executive Engineers (Grade-I) and Veterinary Officers, with allegations that candidates sat for exams at resorts and that OMR sheets were manipulated. IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar was arrested by the CID in the case, which is before the Karnataka High Court, where 12 hearings have taken place so far. Kumaraswamy alleged Kharge cannot distance himself from the case, since the recruitment fell under his charge as Rural Development Minister, and questioned the appointment of former KPSC Chairman Shyam Bhat.
Kharge has demanded Kumaraswamy substantiate the allegations with documents; Congress issued no fresh response to Monday's remarks.