From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sep 2: With more and more sordid details coming out into the scam involving recruitment of staff for medical colleges in Hassan and Mysore, in which medical education minister Ramachandra Gowda and his personal assistant are allegedly involved, JD(S) floor leader in the state Assembly H D Revanna has demanded a comprehensive probe into the scandal by former chief Justice of Punjab, Haryana High Court and Rajya Sabha member Rama Jois.
Pointing out that the former Jharkhand governor Rama Jois was considered quite close to the BJP leadership in the state and the national level, the JD(S) leader said there was no opposition even to conducting a probe by the former as long as it resulted in bringing out the entire truth and nailed the culprits in the alleged irregularities in the recruitment staff in Mysore Medical College and Research Institute and Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences.
The former minister H D Revanna sought a probe into recruitment of candidates to nab the culprits behind the job scam in both colleges and also demanded resignation of medical education minister Ramachandra Gowda for his alleged involvement in the job scandal.
Ironically, Ramachandra Gowda, who had been made a minister by virtue of his position as an MLC, is the latest in the series of BJP ministers to be involved in a scandal. While a criminal case regarding alleged cheating and fraud is pending against social welfare D Sudhakar, who was incidentally divested of his portfolio and entrusted with an inconsequential muzrai and religious endowments portfolio following the large-scale deaths of beggars at the Beggars Relief Centre, another minister Hartalu Halappa was dropped as food and civil supplies minister following a criminal complaint against him for allegedly raping the wife of a friend in the latter’s house.
The excise minister M P Renukacharya too faced a molestation and assault charge against nurse Jayalakshmi, which was recently settled. The labour minister B N Bachegowda hit media limelight for assaulting a real estate businessmen for overtaking his car near Nelamangala on Independence Day while he was returning to Bangalore from Hassan district, after participating in the flag-hoisting ceremony.
Displaying a CD containing recordings of discussion with officials seeking bribe, Revanna alleged that Gangadhar, director of Hassan Medical College, his personal assistant (PA) and PA of the minister and several other officials were involved in the job scam. Revanna urged the government to immediately suspend directors of both colleges till the completion of the inquiry.
Revanna said: ''The former chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Rama Jois is a BJP man. I have firm belief in him. Let the government ask Justice Jois to conduct a detailed probe and punish all those indulged in the scam.”
Candidates who were present at the press meet said that Ananth, PA of the director of Hassan medical college and a few others approached them and sought bribe for selection of jobs.
While a few refused to pay bribe, others paid Rs 3 to Rs 5 lac for their selection. Veerupaksha, personal assistant of the minister was also involved in the recruitment scandal, Revanna alleged.
Nearly 400 employees recently recruited by the Hassan and Mysore medical colleges have virtually been sacked by the government after they reported to work following serious anomalies in the recruitment procedure.