Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday issued a clarification after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s social media post celebrating two “world records” for the state’s Shakti scheme drew scrutiny online and was later deleted.
The post, shared on the Chief Minister’s official X handle on Thursday, had highlighted recognitions reportedly presented to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) by the “London Book of World Records.” The cited awards included KSRTC receiving 464 national and international honours since 1997 for service excellence, and Karnataka achieving the highest number of free women’s bus journeys under the Shakti scheme.
The certificates quickly went viral before users on X flagged that the “London Book of World Records Ltd” — a private UK-based company — had been dissolved in July 2025, according to the UK Companies House. The post was soon tagged with a community note questioning the authenticity of the organisation and was deleted within a day.
In his clarification, Reddy said the post was deleted “to avoid distraction” but maintained that the achievements mentioned were “factual, verifiable, and stand independently of any third-party recognition.” He described the London Book of World Records as a private record-keeping body that has previously honoured several Indian public figures and institutions, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Puducherry government.
The minister also cited that the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, had recently appreciated Karnataka’s guarantee schemes, including Shakti, for advancing gender equity and inclusive public service.
Reddy reiterated that KSRTC’s performance and the success of the Shakti scheme “are matters of public record and pride,” noting that the initiative has enabled over 100 crore free bus journeys for women in just over a year.
However, the Janata Dal (Secular) took a swipe at the government, pointing out that the UK-registered firm “literally sells Gold, Silver and Platinum record packages.” “We thought only their surname was borrowed. Now even their certificates are bought,” the party wrote in a post on X.
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