Ramanagara, Oct 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department into the alleged flow of huge sums of money behind a sting operation targeting a former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Speaking to the media at Bidadi in Ramanagara district, Kumaraswamy said the sting operation had become a major political controversy in Karnataka. Referring to Opposition Leader R. Ashoka’s statement that Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore had been spent on the operation, he said the alleged financial transactions required a thorough investigation.
“Why are you calculating only the money involved? If everything comes out, the dignity and reputation of our state will be reduced to nothing. Transactions worth more than Rs 15 crore have taken place. If the ED steps in, the truth will come out, and details of how the money was routed will emerge,” he said.
Earlier, during an open discussion with aspirants on alleged irregularities in recruitment conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), Kumaraswamy proposed reducing the service tenure of government employees from the existing 35 years to 10, 15 or 20 years to create employment opportunities for more candidates.
He said a person appointed to a government job generally served for around 35 years and that reducing the tenure could create vacancies for others. Employees retiring after the proposed shorter tenure should continue to receive pensions and other retirement benefits, he added.
“If I get an opportunity in the coming days, I intend to implement this plan. I am thinking about how such an idea could be put into practice to employ young people. In my view, every household should have at least one government job. I have placed my idea before the public, and there should be a debate on it,” he said.
Referring to the Navaratri festival, Kumaraswamy said he was sincerely thinking about the future of young people and urged the public to discuss the proposal and share their views.
He expressed concern over growing unemployment and alleged that the government was failing to provide jobs to deserving candidates. The KPSC, which is responsible for selecting eligible candidates for government service through a transparent and fair process, had become a centre of corruption, he claimed.
Jobs were allegedly being sold for money, while the commission’s chairman, members and officials were involved in widespread corruption, Kumaraswamy alleged. He cited recruitment to Assistant Executive Engineer posts and positions in the Veterinary Department as examples of processes allegedly marred by large-scale irregularities. He also described the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) selection process as deeply affected by corruption, nepotism and caste-based considerations, claiming that deserving candidates were being deprived of opportunities.
During the interaction, several aspirants shared their grievances, alleging irregularities in examination procedures, errors in question papers and manipulation of OMR answer sheets.
An aspirant from North Karnataka said candidates travelling to Bengaluru and spending months preparing for examinations had lost faith in the government. Notifications were issued without giving them adequate time to prepare, while many struggled to meet the expenses of staying in paying guest accommodation, the aspirant said.
Another candidate alleged that the KPSC repeatedly created confusion over notifications, eligibility requirements and selection criteria. Candidates preparing for examinations were confronted with new documents uploaded to the commission’s website, while last-minute legal challenges often rendered months of preparation futile.
The aspirants also questioned whether transferring recruitment responsibilities from the KPSC to the Karnataka Examinations Authority would help unless the government changed its approach. They raised concerns over the appointment of officials they considered dishonest, including Gyanendra, and alleged that the system was failing poor and deserving candidates.
A woman aspirant from Yadgir objected to a statement made by the Chief Minister in the Assembly suggesting that people from North Karnataka came to Bengaluru and settled there permanently without returning to their native places.
She said the remark had hurt candidates from the region, stressing that Karnataka was one state and Bengaluru belonged to everyone, irrespective of whether they came from North or South Karnataka. While Bengaluru had developed into a major city, several villages surrounding it remained backward, she said.
An aspirant from Channapatna said candidates faced uncertainty not only after notifications were issued and while awaiting results, but also after clearing examinations and completing all stages of selection, as appointment orders remained elusive.
A candidate from Dharwad called for urgent reforms to the KPSC, including stricter criteria for appointing its chairman and members, a committee of highly qualified and honest experts to oversee appointments, and prompt action against those found involved in irregularities. The candidate also demanded that such officials should not receive constitutional protection.
Kumaraswamy assured the aspirants that their grievances would not be confined to the discussion and said he would stand with them in organising a larger protest against alleged KPSC irregularities.
He urged young people not to fear the system and to support leaders who respected their aspirations and gave voice to their concerns.
Source: IANS
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