Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s celebratory post on X (formerly Twitter) claiming two “world records” has sparked controversy after social media users uncovered that the certifying authority cited in his post — the London Book of World Records (LBWR) — was dissolved months ago.
In his post, Siddaramaiah lauded the Shakti Scheme for achieving “the largest number of free bus rides availed by women — 564.10 crore journeys”, and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) for being “the most award-winning road transport corporation in the world, with 464 national and international honours since 1997.”
Both achievements, according to the Chief Minister’s post, were certified by LBWR — a UK-based entity.
Fact-Check Reveals Dissolved Entity
Soon after the announcement, users on social media began fact-checking the claim. Several contributors on X pointed out that the London Book of World Records Ltd was officially dissolved on July 15, 2025, as per the UK Companies House records.
Links to the UK registry were widely shared online, calling into question the authenticity of the certificates displayed in Siddaramaiah’s post.
Some users mocked the poor formatting and grammatical inconsistencies on the certificates, with one commenter quipping that it looked like “someone in Karol Bagh drafted it,” implying the document was not of international origin.
Opposition Targets Congress Government
The controversy quickly drew a response from opposition leaders. BJP leader C.T. Ravi accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of misleading the public for political gain.
“This certificate looks as fake as the Congress Government itself!” Ravi posted on X, tagging the Chief Minister.
Political analysts say the episode highlights how governments’ eagerness to showcase achievements can sometimes backfire when due diligence is lacking.
Background: The Shakti Scheme and KSRTC’s Legacy
The Shakti Scheme, launched in June 2023, offers free bus rides for women across Karnataka, and has been one of the flagship programs of the Siddaramaiah government. The initiative reportedly helped boost women’s mobility and participation in the workforce, while easing household transportation expenses.
Meanwhile, KSRTC has long been recognized for operational excellence, consistently winning awards for safety, efficiency, and innovation — but the “world record” claim appears to have opened a fresh debate over validation standards and political optics.
Originally published on newsworldstime.com.
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