Cong seeks judicial probe into PSI scam

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

Alleging the involvement o f State BJP Vice President B.Y.Vijayendra and Higher Education Minister Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayana in the PSI recruitment scandal, Congress leaders urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to tender his resignation owing moral responsibility for the scam which they demanded, should be referred for a judicial probe under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court.

Addressing a joint news conference here on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and KPCC President D.K.Shivakumar said there are allegations that the relatives of Minister Ashwath Narayana have joined the police force by meddling with the marks.

The CM was giving protection to all of them. Owing moral responsibility, the CM must tender an apology. How can an ADGP (recruitment) alter the OMR sheets without the direction of the state government? How is it possible to take crores of rupees as bribe? Those who wrote the examination honestly and got selected are now shedding tears. Along with the PSI scam, the First Division Assistant recruitment that took place for posts in the departments of Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Public Works, and also the recruitment to the posts of assistant professors must also be investigated, they demanded.

The ruling BJP cannot escape responsibility saying the scams happened during the tenure of previous governments. The Home Minister, had on the floor of the House, ruled out any irregularity in the PSI scam, and now a senior cop had been arrested. Araga Jnanendra owes an explanation to the people for this, the Congress leaders said.

The Congress had demanded Araga’s sacking many a time in the past for his ‘irresponsible’ replies on serious incidents like the alleged gangrape in Mysuru and communal clash in Shivamogga. There are allegations against Dr Ashwath Narayana too and even a close relative of the minister has been arrested.

It is learnt that over 300 OMR sheets had been altered and candidates were asked to pay Rs 30 lakh to Rs one crore each. Where has all this money gone, they wondered An attempt was also made to intimidate a judge of the Karnataka High Court which indicates there is no protection even for judges. This is happening because the government is protecting corrupt people, Siddaramaiah said.