Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said he was ready to retire from politics if his direct or indirect role in the alleged KPSC recruitment irregularities was proved.
He criticised Union minister H D Kumaraswamy for alleging irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission’s recruitment process without providing any documents or evidence, saying such conduct was unbecoming of a former chief minister and union minister.
“Those making allegations against me should speak with documents in hand. If there is evidence supporting the allegations, let there be an investigation and let the truth come out. But continuously making allegations without documents amounts to hit-and-run politics, and it has become a practice for Kumaraswamy,” Priyank said.
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Speaking to reporters here, he claimed that Kumaraswamy had recently visited an RSS office and alleged that the organisation or Union Minister Amit Shah appeared to have given the JD(S) leader a “contract” to target him, as BJP leaders “were incapable” of doing so.
“If my direct or indirect role is proved in any of the KPSC-related cases, I’m ready for political retirement. But are the BJP and JD(S) ready if they had any role?” he said, accusing Kumaraswamy of indulging in “false propaganda” over the recruitment of 24 AEE posts.
Kumaraswamy recently demanded Priyank‘s resignation, alleging that he had allowed the recruitment of 24 Assistant Executive Engineers in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department through the KPSC when he held the portfolio in the previous Siddaramaiah government.
Priyank noted that concerns over the alleged manipulation of OMR sheets, missing CCTV footage and procedural violations in the appointment of AEE candidates had been raised within the KPSC before the final selection process was completed, but the appointments were nevertheless allowed to proceed.
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Noting that different institutions and officials are responsible for various stages of the KPSC process-including conducting examinations, publishing candidate selection lists and sending the final list to the concerned department-Priyank asked, “In such a situation, why is there an attempt to directly hold a minister responsible for the alleged irregularities in the KPSC?”
Following objections to the selection lists of some candidates, the KPSC constituted a review committee, he said. While an investigation and review are under way, he added, the probe should establish which officials took decisions at each stage rather than politically targeting an individual.
Priyank challenged opposition leaders, alleging that he had a role in the KPSC case to make public the documents supporting their claims.
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Pointing out that recruitment irregularities could affect the employment prospects and future of young people, he said BJP and JD(S) leaders should remember incidents from their own previous tenure in government.
“During the previous BJP government, allegations had emerged regarding the PSI recruitment scam. The names of BJP leaders had surfaced in connection with the case. People won’t forget what stance those questioning the present issue had taken at the time,” he said.
“There is no question of defending any irregularity that destroys the future of young people. Whoever is responsible, action must be taken against them,” he asserted.
Referring to allegations of irregularities in the NEET examination at the national level and the difficulties faced by students, Priyank questioned Kumaraswamy’s silence on the issue.
“When students were suffering over the NEET issue and tragedies such as suicides occurred, why did Kumaraswamy not question it in the same manner?” he asked.
The minister urged investigating agencies to identify those actually responsible for the KPSC irregularities. He said the roles of intermediaries, officials and anyone with political connections should be investigated, regardless of who they are.
Priyank said the government would respond if Kumaraswamy made his allegations with supporting documents. Merely making allegations, getting them circulated in the media and then backing away without providing evidence was not responsible politics, he said.
He made it clear that the government takes any recruitment irregularity affecting the employment and future of young people seriously. The government’s position was that the investigation must be conducted impartially and that whoever was responsible must face legal action.