Kumaraswamy Questions Congress Government Over KPSC Irregularities, Challenges Rahul Gandhi to Meet Affected Youth
Bengaluru, August 30, 2026: Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday stepped up his attack on the Karnataka government over alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), questioning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s silence and challenging him to visit Bengaluru and interact with candidates affected by the controversies.
“Rahul Gandhi, where are you? Your KPSC is rotting,” Kumaraswamy said while speaking to the media at the J.P. Bhavan party office in Bengaluru. Referring to Gandhi’s interactions with students and young people across the country, he asked, “When will you come to Bengaluru and interact with the KPSC victims? Let the youth sit before you and explain what they are facing.”
Kumaraswamy targets Priyank Kharge over KPSC functioning
Kumaraswamy also questioned Minister Priyank Kharge, saying that while he criticised the RSS every day, he appeared to be ignoring alleged irregularities in his own departments. He alleged that unqualified persons had been allowed to take examinations and questioned whether Kharge had the ability to clean up the KPSC.
Referring to the government’s earlier decision to appoint as KPSC chairman a person who, according to him, had faced controversy during his tenure in the Bangalore Development Authority, Kumaraswamy alleged that posts had subsequently been offered for sale. He questioned the government’s claim that 75,000 vacancies would be filled and asked whether appointments would again be made through illegal means.
Kumaraswamy also criticised the arrest of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar by the CID in the KPSC case. “You arrest him now, stage a drama for a month or two, and later give him an even more powerful department to create another scam,” he alleged, accusing the Congress government of lacking the will to clean up the KPSC.
He cited the veterinary examination as an example, claiming that candidates who scored 95 per cent were placed near the bottom of the list while candidates who had failed twice received the second rank. “Priyank Kharge must explain what kind of magic this is,” he said.
“If you have power now, clean up KPSC”
Kumaraswamy recalled Kharge’s earlier statement that he would abolish the KPSC if he came to power. “You have power now. Clean up the KPSC. Use whatever soap or detergent you want,” he said, while asking Kharge to explain his record as Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister and his actions as Home Minister.
Questioning Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Kumaraswamy said unemployment was increasing while the government and KPSC were facing allegations of irregularities. “Is this what you mean by crushing corruption, Chief Minister?” he asked, alleging that government jobs were being sold for lakhs and even crores of rupees.
He also demanded that the government publish details of how many jobs had been provided to unemployed youth during the Congress government’s three years in office, following the earlier five-year period under Congress rule that he referred to.
Questions over recruitment, court proceedings and Gyanendra’s movements
Kumaraswamy alleged that KPSC, despite being a constitutional body, was functioning as though it were dependent on the government. He questioned the powers of the KPSC chairman, members and examination controller and asked whether any IAS officer had previously faced action over such continuing irregularities.
On the recruitment of Assistant Executive Engineer, Grade-I posts, he alleged that the then KPSC secretary violated rules at several stages, acted without informing the chairman and members, and sent the final list without the required quorum.
He further alleged that carbon was used to alter OMR sheets and that forensic investigations had established tampering and destruction of CCTV data. Despite this, he questioned why the state government had not filed objections before the High Court. He also accused the government of giving incorrect information to the court and repeatedly seeking adjournments. According to him, candidates who allegedly secured jobs through illegal means had continued receiving government salaries for nearly a year.
“Your lawyers are not working. Are they all in the ICU?” Kumaraswamy asked Kharge.
He said the alleged irregularities in the Assistant Executive Engineer and veterinary officer selections indicated government negligence and responsibility beyond the KPSC. “Who will you ask to resign? Whose head will roll?” he asked the Chief Minister.
Kumaraswamy also raised questions about how Gyanendra travelled to Delhi while an Enforcement Directorate operation was underway, who permitted him to leave Bengaluru, what happened during his stay in Delhi, who took him to Chennai, and who kept him at a resort near Devanahalli for three days after his return. He asked whether the Home Minister and state intelligence agencies were unaware of these developments.
Call to youth to demand accountability
Kumaraswamy accused the government of spending heavily on advertisements while failing to address the KPSC controversy. “Even two eyes are not enough to see the advertisements you are releasing round after round,” he said, urging Karnataka’s youth to rise and demand accountability from those accused of damaging the recruitment system for money.
The press conference was attended by former MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy, Greater Bengaluru JDS president H.M. Ramesh Gowda, senior leader Thimmegowda and party spokespersons Shwetha Yadav and Narasimhamurthy, among others.
