Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 30 (ANI): Terming Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge's remarks as "childish" and "immature," Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday dismissed claims that he was targeting the Congress leader on the instructions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asserting that he had raised specific questions backed by documentary evidence regarding alleged irregularities in the recruitment of Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) through the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
Rejecting Kharge's allegations regarding central intervention, Kumaraswamy questioned the logic behind such assertions.
"All these reactions from the state government, from the Home Minister. that Priyank Kharge, all are immature statements. What is the need for the honourable Home Minister of this country to direct me or advise me to attack Priyank Kharge? What benefit will our Home Minister in the Central Government get by attacking Priyank Kharge? These are all childish reactions from Priyank Kharge," Kumaraswamy said.
The Union Minister stated that the issue he brought forward pertained to the selection process of AEEs during Kharge's previous role as the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister.
"Here, why I raised the issue, when he was the Rural Development Minister, the process of appointment of Assistant Executive Engineers through KPSC, they had written a letter to the RDPR Secretary, the Principal Secretary, not to give appointments to those who were selected illegally. On that subject, I raised several points," he said.
"The government is supporting the decision to protect illegally selected Assistant Executive Engineers, with documentary evidence, date-wise, chronologically, I exposed it in front of the media. Further, he has not reacted to the questions I raised. He has not answered any of those points. He has avoided the ground reality. How they are protecting the illegal selection, that is the issue I raised," Kumaraswamy said.
He further alleged that the state government has been deliberately delaying court proceedings to shield the candidates.
"Today also, there are some more documents, how this government is trying to protect the interests of those illegally appointed Assistant Executive Engineers by not filing any objections in court. Every time they are taking time. This is going on. That is why this government wants to protect these illegal activities. I have raised several questions on that issue," he said.
Criticising the State government over civic land decisions, Kumaraswamy also opposed the move to acquire a portion of park areas.
"That is wrong. They want to loot government land in the name of taking 5%. They have not even spared parks. They want to take 5 per cent land for their own interest," the Union Minister said.
Stating that he will present further documents before the public upon his return, Kumaraswamy said, "After the Akka samelana, I will return in another 10 days. I will release documents that will cause a major upheaval. All of you in the media should report them honestly."
This development comes after Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge posted on social media alleging that Kumaraswamy was targeting him at the behest of the BJP leadership and questioned the former Chief Minister over past KPSC recruitments during his own tenure.
"The Union Minister, the honourable Kumaraswamy, might have been tasked by Amit Shah to hurl mud at me. Or perhaps, since BJP folks couldn't speak up about KPSC irregularities, they dragged Kumaranna onto the stage and propped him up!... Kumaranna, the matter of the irregularities you carried out in KPSC slipped from your tongue and came right out of your own mouth, remember? A few years ago, when you were accusing someone who left your party and joined ours, you said, "I got Class One posts for many of his relatives"--doesn't that mean you too wielded influence in KPSC? Doesn't your account factor into those irregularities too? Have you forgotten the scams that happened during the tenure of the previous KPSC Chairman, whom you yourself appointed during your alliance government's term?... Kumaraswamy sir, your attempts to smear my face with mud won't succeed; I'll lay bare the facts for all your accusations... But there are many more questions you need to answer about the irregularities that took place in KPSC recruitment during your tenure," Kharge had posted on X. (ANI)
