Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah drew backlash after social media users and opposition parties pointed out inconsistencies in one of his social media posts, celebrating two “world records” for state-run transport initiatives.
According to UK government records, the certificates, issued by an entity calling itself the London Book of World Records (LBWR), were traced to a company that was formally dissolved earlier this year, due to which several users flagged the certificates as fake.
Siddaramaiah had posted on X that the state’s Shakti Scheme — which allows free bus rides for women — had been recognised by LBWR for facilitating 564.10 crore (5.6 billion) rides. The post also claimed that the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had received 464 national and international awards since 1997. Within two hours, the post was deleted after users pointed out inconsistencies and errors in the certificates.
The UK Companies House records show that LBWR was dissolved on July 15. Online users noted grammatical mistakes, awkward phrasing, and inconsistent fonts on the certificates, calling their authenticity into question.
BJP’s Amit Malviya was among the first to criticise the Congress government for falling for a fake recognition. “A big embarrassment for Congress. Yesterday, no less than Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah proudly claimed that two state schemes were recognised by the London Book of Records. Turns out -- it’s fake. Someone literally conned the Congress,” Malviya wrote on X, highlighting spelling and formatting errors in the certificates.
{{/usCountry}}BJP’s Amit Malviya was among the first to criticise the Congress government for falling for a fake recognition. “A big embarrassment for Congress. Yesterday, no less than Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah proudly claimed that two state schemes were recognised by the London Book of Records. Turns out -- it’s fake. Someone literally conned the Congress,” Malviya wrote on X, highlighting spelling and formatting errors in the certificates.
{{/usCountry}}Leaders from the Janata Dal (Secular) also joined in, noting that the UK-based firm had no functioning office and only sold “Gold, Silver and Platinum record packages.” They accused the Congress government of chasing publicity without verifying the authenticity of the awarding organisation.
Following the uproar, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy issued a detailed clarification on Friday to explain the government’s position and the reason behind deleting the post. “A recent social media post from the official handle of Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah highlighted two recognitions presented to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) by the London Book of World Records,” the statement read.
He said the intent of the post was to “celebrate Karnataka’s commitment to progressive governance and efficient public service delivery.” However, Reddy acknowledged that the post drew scrutiny online, leading to the addition of a “community note” on X and the eventual deletion of the tweet.
“The post was targeted, with concerns raised about the credentials of the awarding organisation. This led to the addition of a community note by Twitter and eventual deletion of the tweet to prevent further misrepresentation,” Reddy clarified.
He maintained that while the post had been withdrawn, the underlying achievements remained factual. “The achievements cited are factual, verifiable, and stand independently of any third-party recognition,” he said.
According to Reddy, the London Book of World Records is a private record-keeping entity that has previously recognised public personalities and institutions in India. “The London Book of World Records has earlier awarded Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Government of Puducherry, and several well-known figures from cinema and social work,” he said.
“KSRTC has received over 464 national and international awards, a record in itself for service excellence. The Shakti Scheme has enabled over 100 crore free bus journeys for women in just over a year, becoming one of the largest gender mobility programmes in the world,” he said.
The minister alleged that political opponents were using minor details to deflect attention from the government’s welfare success. “Karnataka’s welfare model continues to draw widespread recognition -- not just nationally but globally. The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, recently appreciated our guarantee schemes, including Shakti, for advancing gender equity and inclusive public service,” he added.