‘RSS affiliates’ in boards will have to go: Hariprasad

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad, during an event marking the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister the late Jawaharlal Nehru, organised by the KPCC in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Acknowledging that there were complaints about some people with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backgrounds being appointed to State-run boards and corporations, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president B.K. Hariprasad said that they should either resign, or the government would have to withdraw their names.

“Some were on MLAs’ recommendation. Now we have appointed around 400-odd people. One or two mishaps may have happened. It is not a big issue; we will correct it,” he said, speaking to reporters. “We are investigating who all have an RSS background. We have already given directions to some people.” He said that two more lists of appointments for boards and corporations will be ready in a couple of days.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the birth anniversary celebrations of former Prime Minister the late Jawaharlal Nehru and Children’s Day, organised by the KPCC.

Speaking at the same event, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar also said that a second list of appointments was being prepared. The first list had been announced as part of the party’s effort to accommodate its workers in positions of responsibility, he said, stating that appointments to the remaining vacant posts would be made subsequently.

Mr. Shivakumar urged party workers to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots.

He asked them to enrol members for Bharat Jodo organisations at the panchayat and ward levels. The government had appointed 40,000 members to guarantee implementation committees, while the process for appointing another 20,000 members was under way, he said.

The five guarantee schemes were a major achievement of the government, with the land guarantee being its sixth guarantee, the Chief Minister said, pointing out that the schemes had attracted attention across the country.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, he said the Congress had developed an app to identify eligible voters whose names had been deleted from the rolls and to work towards restoring their names. The party had also undertaken awareness programmes on the issue, Mr. Shivakumar said.