War of words continues between HDK and Priyank Kharge over alleged irregularities in KPSC recruitments

The war of words between Union Minister for Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and Home Minister Priyank Kharge over alleged irregularities in appointments through the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) continued on Sunday, with the former accusing the government of not doing anything despite the red flags.

“Who was the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister when irregularities in the rural drinking water supply scheme came to light? The KPSC Secretary had asked the government not to issue an appointment order. However, within four months, the appointment order was issued. Was he (then RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge) not aware of this?” he told presspersons here on Sunday. “Whom is the government protecting?” Mr. Kumaraswamy asked.

Stating that the irregularities in appointments had not been cleaned up by the government, he said that the government advocates had only been seeking time in court instead of pushing the case to a logical end. “Only after the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) investigation started (in the KPSC issue) did the government wake up. Who permitted the officer (Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar) to go to Delhi? What happened there? Where did his friends take him? Why was he kept in a resort after the ED searches? Who kept him in the resort?”

While Mr. Kumaraswamy had accused Mr. Kharge of being complacent in the KPSC irregularities pertaining to recruitment for the rural drinking water scheme on Friday, Mr. Kharge hit back at Mr. Kumaraswamy on Saturday about the past appointments of KPSC Chairpersons.

Meanwhile, hitting back at Mr. Kumaraswamy, the Home Minister pointed to the past and accused the Union Minister of not responding specifically to issues that he had raised.

“What was the interest of Mr. Kumaraswamy and (former Prime Minister) H.D. Deve Gowda in recommending the government to appoint the 2011 gazetted probationary batch of candidates despite the High Court and Supreme Court directing the cancellation of the selection? Why do you not talk about your relative’s promotion to the IAS after the appointment was nullified, which the CAT stayed? Do you think that the world does not know of your visit to Parappana Agrahara Prison to meet a former Chairperson of KPSC who had been jailed after being accused of irregularities?” Mr. Kharge questions.

“Is it not laughable that those who recommended appointments against High Court orders are questioning the RDPR recruitment now?” said Mr. Kharge on social media platform X.