Priyank Kharge comes down heavily on BJP govt.

‘It has brought disrepute to Karnataka by indulging in large-scale corruption’

August 12, 2022 06:51 pm | Updated 06:52 pm IST - KALABURAGI

Priyank Kharge, Congress MLA, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Friday.

Priyank Kharge, Congress MLA, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Friday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Priyank Kharge, Congress MLA and former Minister, has come down heavily on the BJP-led State government, saying that it was only women who “compromised on their personnel integrity and satisfied BJP leaders” were able to get government jobs easily. “One has to either pay a bribe or satisfy the leaders to get government jobs,” he alleged.

“Cabinet Ministers have resigned facing allegations such as seeking sexual favours from a woman in return for a government job and demanding 40% commission from a contractor,” he said.

At a press conference in Kalaburagi, Mr. Kharge made serious allegations against the BJP government and added that it had brought disrepute to the State by indulging in large-scale corruption in recruitment to various posts. Apart from the PSI examination scam, he alleged that there were irregularities in the examinations held recently to fill various posts in Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL). He claimed that candidates used Bluetooth devices while writing the exam; a candidate from Gokak was arrested on the charge of getting answerkeys using a smart watch, he added.

As many as 3 lakh youths applied for recruitment to 1,492 posts at KPTCL As per the information, at least 600 candidates had indulged in malpractice and there seems to be a scam running into ₹300 crore, Mr. Kharge alleged.

‘Set up fast-track court’

Mr. Kharge demanded judicial investigation or probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into recruitment scams and sought that the government set up a fast-track court exclusively to try all the cases.

Accusing the Narendra Modi-led Central government of going back on its promise of providing jobs to two crore youth every year, Mr. Kharge said India was facing the highest level of unemployment in 50 years under the current BJP government.

‘BJP selling nationalism’

Accusing the BJP of selling “nationalism”, Mr. Kharge alleged that political representatives, gram panchayat offices, government departments and even ration card holders were being forced to buy the national flag.

It is embarrassing to ask a poor ration card holder to purchase a national flag for ₹20 under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, he said.

District Congress Committee president Jagdev Guttedar was present.

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