Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy addressed the recent deletion of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s social media post, which had claimed two ‘world records’ for the state’s Shakti scheme. Reddy explained that the post was taken down to ‘avoid distraction’, as reported by India Today.
The original post, shared on the Chief Minister’s official X handle, detailed recognitions allegedly awarded to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) by the ‘London Book of World Records’. These included KSRTC receiving 464 national and international honors since 1997, and Karnataka facilitating the highest number of free bus journeys for women under the Shakti scheme.
However, the certificates accompanying the post quickly drew online criticism. Users pointed out that ‘London Book of World Records Ltd’, a UK-based private entity, had reportedly been dissolved in July of the same year, according to UK Companies House records. This led to the post being tagged with a community note questioning the organization’s legitimacy and was subsequently deleted.
Despite the controversy, Minister Reddy maintained that the information highlighted in the post was ‘factual, verifiable, and stand independently of any third-party recognition’. He emphasized that the London Book of World Records is a private record-keeping body that has previously acknowledged various public figures and institutions in India, including Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Reddy also highlighted that Karnataka’s welfare schemes, like the Shakti scheme, have received praise from international figures, including Philemon Yang, President of the United Nations General Assembly, who commended the initiatives for promoting gender equity and inclusive public services.
The issue had previously drawn criticism from political parties like the BJP and JD(S). BJP’s Amit Malviya had pointed out spelling and grammatical errors in the certificates, calling the claim ‘FAKE’ and an ’embarrassment’ for the Congress. The JD(S) had also alleged that the UK firm lacked physical operations and primarily sold ‘record packages’.