Karnataka CM must resign to ensure fair investigation in recruitment scam: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi, Jul 4: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP of "brazen corruption" in Karnataka and demanded the sacking of Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai to ensure a fair investigation in the police recruitment scam.
The former Congress president also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his repeated assertion of not allowing corruption under his watch - "Na khaoonga, na khane dunga" - and asked why he has not taken any action against Bommai.
"BJP's brazen corruption and 'Sale of Jobs' destroyed the dreams of thousands of youth in Karnataka. The CM, who was then HM, must be sacked for any fair investigation," Gandhi said in a tweet.
"Why hasn't the PM taken any action? Is this the BJP government's 'Sab Khaenge, Sabko Khilaenge' moment," he asked.
Gandhi was referring to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors in Karnataka. A senior IPS officer has also been held in the scam and remanded in police custody for 10 days.
Chief Minister Bommai said on Monday the government has given a free hand to the CID which has taken action based on the evidence.
"I had already said that however mighty they are, we will take action. Because of our government, a senior officer was arrested," Bommai told reporters.
Congress general secretary in-charge for Karnataka Randeep Surjewala hit out at Bommai.
"As layers of corruption in PSI scam get unearthed, only two questions need to be answered are - could PSI scam happen without connivance of political masters in BJP? Who was the Home Minister at the time of scam? Answer: Sh. Basavaraj Bommai."
"The responsibility for PSI scam lies at the doorstep of then Home Minister, Sh. Basavaraj Bommai, nothing more - nothing less. Arrest of ADGP is insufficient.
"'A fair investigation can happen only when Sh. Bommai resigns or is sacked! Youth await justice," Surjewala said.
BJP's brazen corruption & “Sale of Jobs” destroyed the dreams of thousands of youth in Karnataka.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 4, 2022
The CM, who was then HM, must be sacked for any fair investigation.
Why hasn't the PM taken ANY ACTION?
Is this the BJP govt’s “Sab Khaenge, Sabko Khilaenge” moment? pic.twitter.com/h8zrwt0ZZj
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K'taka bypolls: Bagalkot records 43.75 per cent turnout till 1 pm, 37.17 pc in Davanagere South
Bengaluru (PTI): At least 43.75 per cent of voters in Karnataka's Bagalkot, where polling for a by-election is underway, exercised their franchise by 1 pm on Thursday.
Davanagere South recorded a turnout of 37.17 per cent, the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office said.
The bypolls were necessitated due to the demise of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
While the ruling Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP is aiming to wrest them and deliver a setback to its rival, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.
A total of over 2.59 lakh eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates are in the fray.
In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh eligible voters are expected to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.
The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South.
The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Samarth's father, S S Mallikarjun, is a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet and in charge of Davanagere district, while his mother, Prabha Mallikarjun, is a Member of Parliament from the region.
The BJP is looking to make gains in the bypolls and energise its cadre ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. For the Congress, retaining both seats is crucial, as a loss could be seen as a negative verdict on the performance of the Siddaramaiah-led government.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, H Y Meti defeated BJP's Charantimath by a margin of 5,878 votes in Bagalkot, while Shivashankarappa defeated BJP's B G Ajay Kumar by 27,888 votes in Davanagere South.
