Kumaraswamy accuses Karnataka Congress government of using public funds to back CJP protests in Delhi
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of diverting public money to support protests in Delhi by a group he referred to as the CJP against the NDA government, alleging the demonstrations were aimed at “destabilising the country.” The remarks marked an escalation in his ongoing confrontation with Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, amid a separate row over an alleged sting operation involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Allegations over support for Delhi protests
Kumaraswamy said the ruling Congress was using taxpayer funds to finance CJP-led demonstrations in the national capital. Reacting to a purported statement by Priyank Kharge that the Congress and the CJP were alike and that no legal action would be taken against CJP activists regardless of the disturbances they caused, the JD(S) leader accused the Home Minister of “encouraging unrest.” He questioned whether “different laws” were being applied to different groups.
Framing the protests as a national security concern, Kumaraswamy charged that the demonstrations in Delhi were intended to create instability. He did not present documentary evidence to support the claim of state funding in his public remarks, but maintained that the Congress government in Bengaluru was directly abetting the agitation.
Political attack on Priyank Kharge and Congress leadership
Continuing his attack on Priyank Kharge, Kumaraswamy alleged a “conspiracy” to remove Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister and claimed Mr. Kharge was involved because his father, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, had not been able to become Chief Minister. The allegations were framed as part of a broader critique of the Congress leadership’s internal dynamics and decision-making in Karnataka.
Response to criticism of Union Ministerial performance
Addressing Priyank Kharge’s criticism of his performance as a Union Minister, Kumaraswamy cited what he said were improved financial outcomes at public sector undertakings under his departments. He claimed that the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) factory, which had been recording profits of around ₹200 crore earlier, is now posting profits exceeding ₹1,500 crore. He also said the Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) had recorded a profit of ₹3,500 crore this year, with a target of at least ₹10,000 crore for the next year. These figures were presented by Kumaraswamy to counter claims about his ministerial record.
Questions over KPSC recruitment
Turning to state-level governance issues, Kumaraswamy raised questions about alleged irregularities in recruitment conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) when Priyank Kharge served as Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. He alleged that 10 of the 24 candidates selected for engineering posts had secured their positions through malpractice. Although a KPSC inquiry had recommended cancelling the appointments, the recommendation was rejected and appointment orders were issued to all 24 candidates, he claimed.
Kumaraswamy further alleged irregularities in the selection of veterinary candidates and questioned why the government had approached the High Court to secure a stay on an investigation into the recruitment process.
Meeting with affected candidates and call for overhaul
The Union Minister made these remarks while interacting with candidates affected by the alleged KPSC recruitment scam at Bunts Sangha in Vijayanagar, Bengaluru. He called for a comprehensive overhaul of the commission, arguing that systemic reforms were needed to restore fairness and credibility in the state’s recruitment processes.
What’s next
While Kumaraswamy’s allegations add to the mounting political friction between the JD(S)-BJP alliance and the ruling Congress in Karnataka, there was no immediate official response referenced from the state government to his latest claims at the event. It remains to be seen whether the state will address the charge of funding the Delhi protests, revisit the KPSC decisions flagged by the Union Minister, or respond to the assertions concerning internal Congress dynamics.
The confrontation underscores the increasingly heated political climate in Karnataka, with national-level protests, state governance issues, and party leadership questions converging into a sustained war of words between rivals.
