Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday, 31 August publicly challenged Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to travel to Bengaluru and personally meet candidates allegedly affected by irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment process. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Kumaraswamy questioned Gandhi's silence on the controversy even as the Congress leader has repeatedly raised recruitment-related concerns — particularly around the NEET examination — at the national level.

'Rahul Gandhi should come to Bengaluru and interact with the youth affected by the KPSC irregularities. He should understand for himself the alleged irregularities taking place under the Congress government and take up the issue in the same manner in which he fought over the NEET issue,' Kumaraswamy said.

What Kumaraswamy Alleged

The Janata Dal (Secular) leader levelled a series of specific allegations against the Karnataka government, targeting Home Minister Priyank Kharge over his earlier tenure as Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister. Kumaraswamy alleged that candidates for Assistant Executive Engineer (Grade-I) posts were housed in a resort, provided question papers in advance, and had answers pre-marked on their OMR sheets.

'Normally, examinations are conducted in schools and colleges. But an examination conducted under Priyank Kharge's department was held by making candidates sit in a resort. As far as I know, this may be the first such experiment in the country,' Kumaraswamy said, adding that manipulation of OMR sheets formed the core of the alleged fraud.

He also raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers, saying the issue came to his notice through media reports. 'I have no personal enmity or jealousy towards Priyank Kharge. My demand is only that there should be a transparent investigation and that those responsible should be punished,' he said.

Documents and Court Proceedings

Responding to Kharge's demand that he produce documents to substantiate his allegations, Kumaraswamy said he had already placed on record investigation reports, allegedly tampered OMR sheets, and a sub-committee report. He noted that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had himself stated in the Karnataka Assembly that irregularities had taken place in the recruitment and selection of Assistant Executive Engineers in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.

Kumaraswamy further claimed the matter had come up before the Karnataka High Court approximately 12 times, alleging the state government had sought to delay proceedings on various grounds. He said he was prepared to send all relevant documents to Kharge's residence if the minister was unable to obtain them independently.

Questions Over KPSC Chairman and Exam Controller

Kumaraswamy questioned the appointment of Shyam Bhat as KPSC chairman, demanding that the state government explain the criteria used for his selection and referring to an alleged earlier controversy involving Bhat and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

He also raised questions about the movements of the KPSC examination controller, alleging the official had gone missing, travelled to Delhi, stayed at a resort, subsequently travelled to Chennai, and later stayed at a resort in Devanahalli for three days. He further alleged that the CID had retrieved the official from Uttar Pradesh, contradicting what he claimed was incorrect information provided by Kharge about the official's detention. 'All this looks like a film story. It is becoming increasingly clear that someone is behind it,' he alleged.

Kumaraswamy also noted that concerns over alleged OMR-sheet manipulation had intensified after the Enforcement Directorate entered the investigation.

Political Dimensions

Kumaraswamy called on Gandhi to hold an open interaction with unemployed youth in Bengaluru over the recruitment controversy. 'If he is in the country, he should immediately come to Bengaluru and listen to the grievances of unemployed youth. His experience will expand further if he comes to Karnataka,' he said.

Responding to Kharge's reported challenge that he would retire from politics if the allegations were proved, Kumaraswamy said he did not want Kharge to retire but asked him to clarify whether files relating to candidate selection and appointment had come before him during his tenure as Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister. Kumaraswamy maintained that his demand was for a transparent probe and accountability — not political revenge. The controversy is expected to intensify as the matter continues to be heard by the Karnataka High Court.