PSI scam: Opposition Congress seeks resignation of Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai
The Hindu
Congress reiterates demand for judicial probe into PSI recruitment scam
A day after the arrest of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Amrit Paul in the police sub-inspectors (PSI) recruitment scam, the opposition Congress demanded the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for allegedly making attempts to protect some politicians and officials involved in the alleged scam.
The Congress also demanded immediate sacking of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra who allegedly misled the government and the public by denying the scam or irregularities in the recruitment scam in the State legislature in March 2022.
While Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said Mr. Bommai has ‘no moral authority to continue’ as CM, KPCC president D K Shivakumar said Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot should take the initiative to dismiss the government for allegedly attempting to hush up the multi-crore PSI scam.
Mr Shivakumar termed the CID probe into the PSI scam as ‘nothing but an eyewash’, and demanded a judicial probe for a thorough investigation.
Mr Siddaramaiah reiterated his demand for a judicial probe since the CID would not be able to arrest the politicians and ministers allegedly involved in the scam. “How can an ADGP tamper with OMR sheets of the recruitment exam without orders from higher-ups in the government?”
He also demanded a probe into all recruitment carried out by Mr Paul who had handled appointments in various departments.
ADGP Amrit Paul was heading the recruitment division when the scam broke out.
Around 440 MBBS graduates of 2021 are not required to undergo one year of compulsory rural service as per the bond signed by them while joining the medical course through government-quota seats in 2015 as the High Court of Karnataka has said the law, enacted in 2012 for mandatory rural service, remained unenforced for 10 years as it was published in the official gazette only in July 2022.