Ex-soldier threatens ‘medal wapsi’

BENGALURU: After award wapsi by littérateurs for failing to nab assailants who killed writer M.M. Kalburgi, a former army officer is contemplating ‘medal wapsi’ after encountering rampant corruption at the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Major (Retd) Jayaprakash told Deccan Chronicle that aspirants to public service were disgusted with corruption in KPSC and have lost faith in getting what is their due, unless they grease the palms of officials. He said that he would return his service medals either to Governor Vajubhai Vala or President Pranab Mukherjee as protest.

Recalling his own experience, he said though he had cleared the competitive examinations twice, he was rejected during interviews and later touts demanded bribes. In the first instance, the interview panel asked him to leave after just one question. “When I was about to leave I was approached by a tout offering me the post of tahasildar, if I paid him a bribe of Rs 25 lakh. The experience during the second interview was equally disappointing and was asked to pay Rs 30 lakh for job confirmation,” Jayaprakash recalled.

It is said that the KPSC board has five tainted members and has been functioning without a chief for the last two-and-a-half years. On the one hand the government was not persuading the Governor to appoint a chairman and on the other not filing a petition before the court to appoint fresh members, he added.

“Annoyed with this, I have planned to return four service medals, which I have earned through my hard work in the army. I have already faxed a letter to the Governor on December 2, seeking his appointment to return the medals. I have not got an appointment yet. I will be writing another letter to him. If there is no response to my second letter, I will surrender my medals with Pranab Mukherjee,” Jayaprakash said.

To meet Santosh Hegde

After taking part at a debate organised by students from North Karnataka on December 13, Jayaprakash would meet former Lokayukta Justice N. Santosh Hegde. Jayaprakash said that he would tour villages across the state to raise awareness about the corruption among officials and politicians. Medals are being returned to disgrace the politicians, he added

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