Kumaraswamy Blasts Congress For Deputing IAS Officers To Host Opposition Leaders In Karnataka

The Congress government in Karnataka is facing sharp criticism from the former Chief Minister of Karnataka H D Kumaraswamy for deputing IAS officers to host leaders of the Opposition parties in a gathering in Bengaluru.

The Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) leader accused the Congress party of deploying senior IAS officers to greet leaders from various Opposition parties who arrived in Bengaluru on Monday for a mega meeting a day later.

Kumaraswamy in a series of tweets wrote, "In its greed to wrest power by forging an alliance, Congress has performed last rites for pride, heritage and self esteem of Karnataka. It is wrong on part of @INCKarnataka to depute IAS officers to serve its alliance leaders. Is this what they meant walk the talk?"

He emphasised that the event was not a government program or a swearing-in of a new government, but merely a political meeting.

He condemned the act of assigning responsible officers to welcome these leaders, considering it an insult to the 6.5 crore Kannadigas and a great tragedy.

He further added, "This is clear violation of All India Services (Conduct ) Rules. I was surprised & shocked that officials agreed to do this job knowing that it would dent their self-respect & honour. The Chief Secretary who issued such a controversial order is answerable to the people."

According to the former Karnataka CM, the Congress has introduced a system of "IAS bonded labour" in the state, which he considers a new form of "political, administrative colonialism".

Kumaraswamy ominously concluded by saying that "In Sathya Yuga, Hiranyakashyap was destroyed for capturing astadikpalakas and making them his stepping stones. Congress too has initiated its own decline by deputing 30 IAS officers as gatekeepers of its alliance partners."

A list of IAS officers, including senior officers such as Anbu Kumar, K P Mohan Raj, V Ponnuraj, C Shikha, M T Reju, Dr Thrilok Chandra K V, and Vishal R, has also been shared by Kumaraswamy.

Responding to the criticism, D K Shivakumar, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, said that the former CM is stating all the above just to make the headlines.

Economic Times quoted Shivakumar as saying, "I'm not ready to reply to Kumaraswamy....whoever has to be there as per the protocol given to the state guest will be there. Our Ministers and I myself had gone and welcomed some Chief Ministers. As per protocol an official has been deputed to every senior leader. This has been the practice that has been followed at all times."

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