Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 22 : Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said the state government was considering shutting down the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) within the legal framework amid allegations of irregularities in the commission, and said he was consulting experts on the matter.
While speaking to the media after the 50th Foundation Day celebration of Keonics in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “There are too many scams in the KPSC. I am discussing with experts about shutting it down within the legal framework.” 
He alleged that people involved in wrongdoing had infiltrated the commission and said documents collected by the state police would bring out the facts.
“Rogues have infiltrated the KPSC. The officers we selected with trust are doing such things. The members there have opened a shop. Our police officers have collected documents. One day everything will come out,” he said.
On the Karnataka High Court's direction to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the KPSC scam, Shivakumar said he welcomed the order but maintained that the state government should have been given the freedom to appoint the investigating officers.
“I welcome the High Court's direction to constitute an SIT. The ED is also investigating. But our police department is also conducting the investigation very well. The court could have monitored the investigation by our police department if needed. The court's direction for SIT probe is right. But the freedom to appoint investigating officers should have been given to the state government. We have received calls from Delhi and other states in this regard. I will take legal experts' opinion on this,” he said.
Shivakumar said the state government was concerned about the future of students and job aspirants and referred to the reduction in the number of KPSC members during Siddaramaiah's tenure.
“Children's future is important to us. For the same reason, Siddaramaiah had reduced the number of members in the KPSC during his tenure. We trusted and selected officers transparently, but they also do this,” he said.
A special court in Bengaluru on Monday remanded suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar to six days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment.
The 21st Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for CBI and PMLA cases, Manjunath Sangreshi, remanded Gangwar to ED custody till September 26.
Recalling his tenure as Energy Minister, Shivakumar said he had overseen the filling of 22,000 posts of linemen and engineers and had taken precautions to prevent corrupt practices.
“When I was Energy Minister, I filled 22,000 posts of linemen and engineers. I did that work very cautiously. Before that, there was a corrupt tradition of making them write on blank papers. But I did not allow all that,” he said.
On Congress MLA HK Patil's statement that he would resign as MLA if Gadag was not declared a drought-hit district, Shivakumar said the district's problems were being assessed.
“I have toured Gadag district. Patil was with me. What he said is true. If there is drought even in Malnad, will there not be drought in Gadag? I am aware of the district's problems. Already 124 taluks have been declared drought-hit. There is a possibility that 200 taluks will be declared. Required reports are coming in this regard,” he said.
On the Opposition's criticism of the special session, the Chief Minister added the government had organised it to understand the problems faced by people across the state.
“The opposition wasted 10 days of session time. They do not know the value of time. They only know how to do politics. I could have called a cabinet meeting and taken a decision. But I did not do that. We needed to know what the problems of the people of the state are. The government should be the voice of the people. A special session was organized for discussion to give value to people's words and their feelings,” he said.
“I have spoken to farmers and people. I have toured and understood the situation. How can they waste time then and now ask for more time? For opposition, politics is important. For us, development is important; farmers' problems are important. It is important to quench people's hunger,” he said.
On a question about the government's ability to announce new schemes amid rising debt and the Finance Department's communication in this regard, Shivakumar said the department had given advice in the interest of the government.
“It has given advice for the good of the government. As Finance Minister, I know which scheme should be stopped and which scheme should be added. All prices have skyrocketed; people's income has fallen. So we have given 5 guarantees. We are helping farmers and people's lives. In the meantime, Karnataka is ahead in development,” he said.
“We are in power. So we know what to do. The Central government is doing its own thinking. Not just talking. Let the Central government first give the grants it has to give to the state government. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman and Basavaraj Bommai had announced Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project. Give that first,” he said.
When asked about JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy's statement that he did not ask the Prime Minister for a loan waiver when he was Chief Minister, Shivakumar said the loan waiver was a commitment made by his side and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“Loan waiver was our and Rahul Gandhi's commitment. Not Kumaraswamy's commitment. That is our thinking, not Kumaraswamy's. Kumaraswamy became Chief Minister because we supported him. We supported him to keep BJP away. We laid the foundation for that government,” he said.
On the question of re-investigation into the Soujanya case, Shivakumar said he would seek information on the matter and assured that the investigation would be conducted according to law.
“I will get information regarding the Soujanya case. No one will interfere in the investigation. Everything will happen as per law,” he said.