Kumaraswamy Seeks Postponement Of All KPSC Exams, Delivers Diwali Message To Cong Govt To Shun 'Vendetta Politics'

(MENAFN- IANS) Bengaluru, Nov 7 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, on Saturday demanded that all recruitment examinations being conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) be postponed until the commission is completely reformed and transparency is ensured in its functioning.

Speaking to media at the JD-S central office, JP Bhavan, Kumaraswamy specifically urged the state government to postpone the November 15 examination for the recruitment of 319 Gazetted Probationers (KAS) posts.

Meanwhile, extending a message to the state government on the occasion of Deepavali, the Union Minister urged it to give up politics based on hatred, caste and vendetta and instead work sincerely for the development of Karnataka.

He said that he would support the state government if it undertook good initiatives but accused it of attempting to suppress the Opposition.

He added that investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and a Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted following directions from the High Court, were underway into alleged examination and recruitment irregularities in the KPSC over the past three to four years.

Financial transactions linked to the alleged irregularities had also come to light, Kumaraswamy claimed.

"Under these circumstances, I have no confidence that the commission can conduct examinations and recruitments transparently and honestly. Several job aspirants have also expressed similar concerns," he said.

Kumaraswamy added that a committee led by former Minister R.V. Deshpande, constituted to suggest reforms in the commission, had not yet submitted its report.

Candidates were protesting at Freedom Park, and conducting examinations amid such confusion would cause injustice to honest and meritorious aspirants, he said.

He demanded that examinations be conducted only after the commission was thoroughly cleaned up and transparency restored.

Kumaraswamy accused the state government of failing to address farmers' problems despite the drought situation.

He alleged that insurance companies were cheating farmers even after they had paid their premiums, while the state government had failed to release its matching contribution towards crop insurance.

He said the state government was merely making announcements without taking effective measures to provide relief to farmers.

Questioning the state's financial management, Kumaraswamy said the state government owed contractors Rs 39,000 crore for completed works while simultaneously announcing new infrastructure projects.

He alleged that the state government had suddenly announced Rs 2,500 compensation for farmers through a press conference by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar when public anger was mounting over the bus fare hike, apparently to divert attention from the issue.

He also said that the Karnataka Cabinet had approved road development projects worth Rs 26,000 crore despite the substantial pending dues to contractors.

"It is ridiculous to announce new projects without clearing the dues for works already completed," he added.

Kumaraswamy also alleged that the state government had introduced a package-based contracting system, sidelining local contractors and awarding contracts to companies from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

This, he claimed, was pushing the bank accounts of Karnataka contractors into the non-performing asset (NPA) category.

The Union Minister criticised Congress leaders for allegedly taking credit for medical institutions and projects in Ramanagara.

He said that when he was the Karnataka Chief Minister in 2006, he had taken the decision to shift Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to Ramanagara and had also allocated funds for the purpose.

Congress leaders were now falsely projecting the initiative as their achievement, he alleged.

He also said that approval for establishing a medical college in Kanakapura had been given during the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

Referring to the Dayananda Sagar Medical Colleges in Chamundeshwari and Harohalli, Kumaraswamy said they were privately established institutions and Congress leaders had no contribution to their establishment.

Meanwhile, more than 20 prominent Congress leaders from the Kunigal Assembly constituency joined the JD-S in the presence of Kumaraswamy and former Minister D. Nagarajaiah.

Former Zilla Panchayat members Kempegowda, Shivashankar, Narayanappa, Kempahanumaiah, Suresh, JCB Girish, Lakshmana, Renukaiah, Nanjegowda, Ramakrishnappa, Vasantharaju, Suresh, Manu, Shivakumar, Naganna, Ganganna, Ramesh and Shivanna were among those who left the Congress and joined the JD-S.

Senior Kunigal leaders Ravi and Jagadish, along with Greater Bengaluru JD-S President H.M. Ramesh Gowda, were present on the occasion.

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