BJP alleges Rs 400 crore veterinary doctor recruitment scam in Karnataka

Alleging a Rs 400 crore scam in the veterinary doctors recruitment, BJP’s Karnataka unit president BY Vijayendra on Tuesday asked: “How much share has gone to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar?”

The BJP leader also demanded a CBI investigation into the alleged mega scam in the recruitment of Veterinary Officers. Speaking to reporters after participating in a protest by KPSC aspirants at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Tuesday, he said corruption was corruption, irrespective of during which tenure the recruitment took place. Several BJP leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, joined him in the protest.

Questioning why the State Government was reluctant to hand over the case to the CBI, Vijayendra asked, “What share of the alleged Rs 400-crore scam in the Veterinary Officers’ recruitment had gone to the Chief Minister and the State Government? Why is the Congress Government playing with the future of the children?” He urged the Government for reforms in the KPSC to put an end to corruption and demanded a comprehensive discussion on the issue in the Legislature. He said youth from across the State had gathered to protest over the alleged KPSC scam.

“This is a Rs 400-crore scam. How can such a major scam be entrusted to an internal committee for investigation? When the fence starts eating the crop, justice cannot be expected through an internal inquiry,” he remarked.

Questioning the examination system adopted by the state, he asked why Karnataka was implementing a recruitment process that was not followed anywhere else in the country. He alleged that the system had been designed to facilitate corruption and generate illegal gains.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said on Tuesday that the cases related to the alleged irregularities in recruiting 400 veterinary officers have been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The KPSC has been in turmoil following Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot suspending KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar on July 13 following allegations that he allegedly facilitated the illegal selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers.