JOIN USShun those giving humanitarian face to irregularities, says CM
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday utilised his Independence Day address as a platform to defend the State Cabinet decision to reject the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) selection list of 2011 and also hit out at those protesting the government’s move.
Delivering the Independence Day address at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Grounds here, Siddaramaiah said the decision to reject the list had been taken to ensure sanctity in recruitments and ensure honesty and transparency in administration. Without directly naming those who have been protesting the government move, Siddaramaiah said, “vested interests” were trying to stoke emotional feelings and it went against public interest.
“We took some hard decisions following irregularities in recruitments. Those who try to give humanitarian face to such irregularities should be shunned,” Siddaramaiah said in his 25-minute address.
The State Cabinet, last week, had rejected the final list of 362 candidates selected by the KPSC for the post of Group A and B gazetted probationers notified in 2011 after affirming that there had been rampant corruption in the selection process. The aggrieved candidates have been protesting the government’s move with the Opposition, particularly former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, lending them support.
Siddaramaiah said the government, during the last 15 months, had framed various policies for overall development of all sections of people. However, he said, efforts were being made by a “small group of people” to find faults with the decisions and actions of the government. “We are unperturbed by such disturbances and we shall continue our efforts to achieve overall progress of the State,” the chief minister said.
Touching on the recent spate of rape cases in the State, including that of a six-year-old girl, Siddaramaiah called for a social movement to protect and safeguard the dignity of women. Miscreants who ill-treat women and commit atrocities on them would be mercilessly dealt with and the police have been instructed to act strictly, he said.
“It is a dangerous trend that most of the atrocities have been committed by friends, relatives and persons known to victims. Such cases cannot be controlled merely by the government or stricter laws. There is a need for society to join hands with the government in this regard,” he said.
Special women treatment units would be set up in all district hospitals and five hospitals in Bangalore to provide treatment, legal assistance and financial assistance to rape victims, he said. A children’s fund would be created with an amount of Rs 25 lakh to provide emergency relief to children who become target of sexual atrocities.
Siddaramaiah also utilised his Independence Day address to list out the achievements of his government. Interest free loans up to Rs three lakh were being disbursed to ease the burden of farmers on crop loans. Residential schools had been opened for poor children across the State. The government has planned to start medical colleges in every district.
During the current fiscal action had been initiated to start medical colleges in Chamarajnagar, Kodagu, Koppal, Uttara Kannada, Gadag and Gulbarga, he said.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah unfurled the tri-colour and received the guard of honour at the venue.