PSI recruitment scam: Siddaramaiah demands judicial inquiry headed by sitting HC Judge
Bengaluru, May 5: Accusing the BJP government at the Centre of supporting the "40 per cent commission government" in Karnataka, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on Wednesday demanded a judicial inquiry, headed by a sitting High Court judge, into the alleged scam in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors (PSI).
He demanded also the resignation of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and sacking of Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan in connection with the alleged scam.
"We demand judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court Judge into the PSI recruitment scam. Because the police, politicians, Ministers are involved in it, and truth will not come out, culprits will not be punished, as the CID is currently investigating into the scam," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said an independent judicial inquiry is needed for the facts to come out.
"We demand also the resignation of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, who has miserably failed. Further, we demand the sacking of C N Ashwath Narayan, the Higher Education Minister, as there are allegations against him...a scam has taken place in his department too with regard to selection of assistant professors," the former Chief Minister said.
Both of them are answerable and accountable to the people of Karnataka, and have no moral or legal right to continue as Ministers, he said, adding: "Our demand is that they should be sacked immediately. If they don't do it and entrust the matter with the judicial commission for investigation, we will go to the people's court."
Congress recently claimed that Narayan's brother was involved in rigging the police sub-inspectors' recruitment. The Minister, however, denied the allegation and said he would consider initiating legal action against the Congress leaders.
Recently, the State government decided to annul the examination that was held in October last year to recruit 545 police sub-inspectors in the State, and hold re-exams, following allegations of large- scale rigging or malpractices.
Hitting out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh for praising Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the State government, Siddaramaiah said by doing so both have given a stamp of approval to the 40 per cent commission government.
The Bommai administration is being called a 40 per cent commission government and there are allegations of corruption by contractors' associations and swamijis, among others, he said. "The BJP government at the Centre is supporting this government. Contractors had written to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) with the 40 per cent commission charge against this government, yet he has not even sought information from the State."
Noting that the government's decision to annul examination and hold a re-exam, and transfer of senior official heading recruitment makes it clear that there is scam, he said about 28 people have till now been arrested in connection with the case, but no action has been taken or a case booked against senior official or politicians who are said to be involved.
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Will end drain of wealth from Indian families to crony corporates: Cong
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of aiding "drain of wealth" from ordinary Indians to crony corporates, and said it will end this practice if it comes to power at the Centre.
The Congress attack came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Rahul Gandhi had stopped "abusing" Adani and Ambani and whether his party received money from them in return.
"On June 4, as the Congress-led government takes power, we will rapidly accelerate economic growth while ensuring that ordinary Indian families are the biggest beneficiaries. We will end the 'drain of wealth' from Indian families to crony corporates," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.
"The 'Hum Do Hamare Do' effect: Net household savings fell by 9 lakh crores in the last three years. Real household savings are at their lowest since 2014. PM Modi has overseen a 'drain of wealth' - from Bharat ke Parivar to Modi ka Parivar," Ramesh also said in a post on X, while sharing his statement.
The Congress leader, in his statement, said 150 years ago, Dadabhai Naoroji's "Drain Theory" explained how the wealth of India's people was being taken away and sent to England.
"Since 2014, we have seen a similar 'drain of wealth' from Bharat ke Parivaar (India's families) to Modi ka Parivaar (Modi's family). This is the intentional effect of the prime minister's 'Hum Do Humaare Do' policy of favouring his cronies, he said.
"With each passing day of Modi's Anyay Kaal, this 'Drain of Wealth' breaks a shameful new record. The National Accounts Statistics released on 7 May, 2024 show that India's net household savings have decreased by Rs. 9 lakh crore in three years," he claimed.
Ramesh alleged that India's households are depleting their savings and falling into debt due to the economic mismanagement, incompetence, and anti-people policies of the Modi government"
He noted that loans to households have increased from 7 lakh crore to 14 lakh crore in last three years.
Citing figures to highlight there is a crisis for Indian households and consumers, he said in September 2023, the RBI bulletin showed India's net financial savings at just 5.1 per cent of the GDP, which was the lowest in 47 years.
"In a real sense, the BJP government is responsible for ripping away mangalsutras, as its economic failures have pushed gold loans to a record high. Outstanding gold loans have crossed Rs. 1 lakh crore for the first time in India's history, as per RBI data," the Congress leader alleged.
"Any growth that has happened since 2014, has been only for the crony industrialist friends of the Prime Minister: Today, 21 billionaires have more wealth than the poorest 70 crore Indians combined," he alleged.
"Today, the richest 1% have 40% of India's wealth - this is higher than it was during the British colonial times, and is among the worst in the world. This is the reality of Modi's Anyay Kaal. While Hum Do, Humaare Do have prospered, ordinary Indian families have suffered under failed economic policies like demonetisation, badly-designed GST, and unplanned lockdowns," Ramesh also claimed.
Congress leader P Chidambaram, meanwhile, said the party's manifesto on economy has promised to support the private sector and every kind of enterprise -- large, medium, small and micro.
"Regulatory oversight will be based on clearly enunciated laws and rules that will be applied fairly and without discrimination. We will ensure a level playing field for all. We are opposed to monopolies and oligopolies and crony capitalism.
"We will ensure that no company or person arrogates to itself or himself the financial or material resources or the business opportunities or the concessions that ought to be available to every entrepreneur," he said in a post.
