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Ban on photography, videography in public offices: Karnataka government circular
According to the circular, the government workers union had requested to ban photography and videography inside government offices “to avoid the “misuse” of these tools that bring disrepute to the government and also their female colleagues”.
The Karnataka government on Friday issued a circular banning all kinds of photography and videography inside public offices by private individuals, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition, which termed it “a tool to shield corruption in these departments”.
According to the circular, the government workers union had requested to ban photography and videography inside government offices “to avoid the “misuse” of these tools that bring disrepute to the government and also their female colleagues”.
“The government has taken this into account and deemed that it was required and has ordered that the public will be restricted to take photos and videos in all departmental offices,” the order, signed off by the under-secretary of the department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR), stated. The DPAR portfolio is held by chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The latest move comes after some instances where photos and videos of government officials demanding bribes have also gone viral, adding to the embarrassment of the administration.
Former Karnataka minister and Congress legislator Priyank Kharge slammed the government over the order.
“The new notification of the 40% BJP Govt is for “Ease of Doing Business” as the elections are around the corner (and) collections need to be increased,” Kharge said in a post on Twitter, with the hashtag #BrashtaJanataPaksha or Corrupt Janata Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) couldn’t be reached for a comment.
The order also comes at a time when the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been accused of widespread corruption in all departments, including demanding as much as 40% commission or bribe to give out tenders for public works.
The Karnataka State Contractors Association July last year had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bringing to his attention the widespread corruption and open demand for bribes by elected representatives and officials in the state.
Earlier this month, the additional director general of police (ADGP), recruitment, Amrit Paul and the former Bengaluru (Urban) DC were arrested in two separate cases for their involvement in cases of corruption, including the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment case, while a sitting judge of the Karnataka high court had stated how he received a threat of transfer from a senior cop for looking too closely into the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) case.
Senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa was forced to step down from the cabinet after being accused of corruption by a public works contractor just before died by suicide in March this year.
On Thursday, higher education minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan wrote to the chief minister to probe all cases of alleged corruption under the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. The minister’s relatives and associates have been arrested in the PSI recruitment scam, indicating his possible involvement.
“I welcome the decision of Minister @drashwathcn to write a letter to
@CMofKarnataka to initiate an investigation on all the alleged scams during my tenure as CM.
I also urge him to write a letter to demand an investigation on his alleged involvement in the PSI recruitment scam,” Siddaramaiah said in a post on Twitter on Friday.
