'Remarks were directed at BJP, not at students': Priyank Kharge clarifies comment on police recruitment exams

Priyank Kharge clarified that his comments were aimed at the BJP’s demand for his resignation and not at students who appeared for the examination.

Karnataka home minister Priyank Kharge faced flak on Monday over his remark that he would resign only after the police recruitment examination aspirants go on a 25-day hunger strike and face lathicharges, leading him to clarify that his comments were directed at the BJP and not the students. His remarks came amid allegations of confusion and disruption at centres in Vijayapura district during the recruitment exam held on Sunday.

Priyank Kharge's remarks came amid allegations of confusion at centres in Vijayapura district during the recruitment exam. (File Photo/PTI)

“I will resign, but first let the aspirants go on a 25-day hunger strike, lathicharge them, and then I will resign, just as they did after the NEET paper leak,” he said.

The minister later clarified that his comments were aimed at the BJP’s demand for his resignation and not at students who appeared for the examination. “The question put to me was: ‘The BJP and the leader of the Opposition, R Ashoka, are demanding your resignation over the Vijayapura incident. What do you have to say?’ My response was clear: If the BJP is willing to sit on a 25-day hunger strike demanding my resignation, I will consider it. My remarks were directed solely at the BJP’s political theatrics and not at students,” Kharge wrote on X.

Allegations of errors in recruitment test

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) rejected allegations of errors in the recruitment test, saying confusion at some centres arose from false claims circulated on social media that the serial numbers of OMR sheets and question papers had to match.

The examination was conducted across Karnataka for 1,453 male and female Civil Police Constable posts. KEA said candidates were only required to correctly enter the Question Paper Series Code, Version Code and registration number on the OMR sheet.

“The Karnataka Examinations Authority conducted the written exam on July 2 in all districts of the state for recruitment of 1,453 vacant male and female civil police constable posts in the Karnataka Police Department. During the exam, it was observed that some candidates were misled by false news spread on social media. The false claim was that the OMR sheet number and question paper number must be the same,” the authority said in a statement.

KEA said no official notification, instruction booklet or verbal instruction required the OMR number and question paper number to be identical. “There is no rule that the OMR number and question paper number have to match. Hence, the public is requested not to spread false and misleading news about this on social media,” it added.

Protest at Sri Sharamdamba PU College

The confusion led to protests at Sri Sharamdamba PU College in Tikota town of Vijayapura district, where candidates objected to differences between the serial numbers printed on their OMR sheets and question papers. Several candidates walked out of the examination hall. Officials said the centre supervisor and centre chief informed candidates about the correct procedure for filling the OMR sheets. Similar confusion was reported at some other locations but did not disrupt the examinations.

At the Tikota centre, candidates gathered outside after leaving the hall and later attempted to enter the premises again. Police intervened after candidates allegedly tried to push through the gate, officials said.