'Women have to sleep with someone to get job…': Congress leader attacks Karnataka govt; BJP hits back

Priyank Kharge, spokesperson for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), also made bribery allegations against the ruling-BJP in the state and said they were ‘playing with the future’ of lakhs of aspirants in recruitment exams.

Karnataka Congress leader Priyank Kharge on Friday started a political tussle by making grave allegations against the BJP-ruled government in the state when he said that men “have to bribe” to get a government job in Karnataka while “young women have to sleep with someone” for the same.

Congress leader Priyank Kharge (PTI)

Kharge, who is a spokesperson for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has demanded judicial investigation or a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into recruitment scams. He sought that the government set up a fast-track court.

According to an ANI report, Kharge made allegations of corruption against the ruling BJP in recruitment for various posts in the state. Kharge said, “The government has decided to sell posts. If young women want a government job, they should sleep with someone. Men have to give bribes for government jobs. A minister had asked the young woman to sleep with him for a job. He resigned after the scandal came to light and this is proof of my words.”

"According to the information I have, it is possible that the deal has been done for a total of 600 posts. It is suspected that they have received ₹50 lakh for the post of Assistant Engineer and ₹30 lakh for the post of Junior Engineer. There is a possibility that ₹300 crores of embezzlement have taken place in this alone," he said on recent recruitments in a press conference, as quoted by ANI.

Kharge went on to blame the BJP in Karnataka ‘playing with the future’ of lakhs of aspirants who applied for the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd.

"Where should the poor and talented students go if there are irregularities in every recruitment examination? The perpetrators and the middlemen know that nothing would happen to them even if any scam comes to light. The government is playing with the future of about 3 lakh students who have applied for the posts of KPTCL," the Congress MLA was quoted as saying.

BJP hits back

The Karnataka BJP retorted to the allegations saying Kharge fails to see what his party is doing before making such statements.

“Ex minister Priyank Kharge cannot see the tiles of his own house before making statements like these. It was during the Congress government that the Jayamala bribery scandal was exposed and we all know who was involved in it,” the BJP Karnataka said in a Twitter thread.

“Mr. Priyank Kharge, wasn’t it during your time when sexually assaulted women were asking for help and remained helpless? The CD issue of Abhishek in Digvijaya channel was during your UPA government and many influential people were involved in it. There are many secret CDs of congress leaders and their nightlife. Mr. Kharge junior, please reveal the list of Congress leaders who are pretending to be decent people but behind the mask, are full of dark history,” the saffron party made a scathing attack.

“Many women in the country work hard, study and give their best in the examinations to clear it and get a job. The comment made by Priyank Kharge is the biggest insult to all women and he must apologize immediately,” the BJP said, denying the allegations made by the Congress leader.

The war of words came days after a candidate was caught allegedly using a smartwatch for cheating during the KPTCL recruitment examination in Gokak. He was arrested on Wednesday.