From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Aug 11: Even as the hunger-strike and dharna by the 362 persons who had been selected for the gazetted posts as per the 2011 final list of recruitments by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), which had been recently scrapped by the State Cabinet, entered the 22nd day at the Freedom Park in Bangalore, the JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaswamy dropped a bombshell by directly alleging that the chief minister Siddaramaiah had called a KPSC member as many as 72 times.
Kumaraswamy, who has been openly extending support to the 2011 batch candidates selected by the KPSC, demanded the resignation of the chief minister Siddaramaiah over his alleged direct involvement in favour of a candidate and claimed that the chief minister had spoken to the KPSC member in favour of a candidate, who happens 'to be a close relative' of former IPS officer Kempaiah, who has been appointed as the Advisor to the Home Minister K J George.
Stepping up the campaign in support of the candidates affected by the cancellation of the 2011 batch of KPSC recruitments, Kumaraswamy also alleged that Dr Mythri, who blew the lid over the scam and alleged corrupt activities by the then KPSC chairman GonalBheemappa and KPSC member Mangala Sridhar, and had recently led a delegation to meet Siddaramaiah to compliment him on the Cabinet decision of cancellation, had herself called Mangala Sridhar as many as 17 times.
''The calls made by the chief minister and Dr Mythri, the whistle-blower, are just the tips of the iceberg,” the JD(S) leader said and promised come out even more sordid details to prove how the State Cabinet had erred in its decision
Meanwhile, the chief minister Siddaramaiah, who spoke to reporters separately, reiterated the Government’s firm resolve to stick by its decision and asserted that the corrupt dealings and the findings of the CID probe could not be ignored.
''There is no question of going back on the decision to cancel the recruitment,” he said pointing out that Kumaraswamy, being a former chief minister, should know how the Cabinet system works and how decisions are taken.
Siddaramaiah mentioned that the Government had gone by the opinion of the Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar.
However, Kumaraswamy demanded the legislature session must be convened to discuss the issue and contended that only the State Legislature has power to reject the KPSC final list, J
He termed the State Cabinet’s decision "unconstitutional and invalid" and it would not stand the scrutiny of the courts.
Outlining the details of the KPSC episode, he said that ''there are attempts right from the day one to derail the process of selection of candidates.”
The KPSC officials had to defer the interview schedule as per the directions of the DPAR secretary citing model code of conducts of elections'.
Pointing out that even though the onus of selection of entire process rests with the responsibility of the Secretary of the KPSC, the CID officials had only targeted the members and the Chairman of the Commission, he said.
The KPSC members accused in the recruitment scam struggled to get bail, the Secretary, who is also one of the main accused was roaming freely.
The JD(S) leader criticised the Advocate General, Ravivarma Kumar, on whose advise the state government had allegedly taken decision to scrap the list, and said that ''the same man had gone to Chennai to plead the cases of members of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, who were facing threat of sacking from the TN government.”
Charging both Siddaramaiah and Kumar of having abused their offices to serve self-interests, JD(S) leader demanded that both the Advocate General and the Chief Minister must resign immediately as both had lost moral grounds.