Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s social media post celebrating his government’s flagship Shakti scheme being listed in the “London Book of World Records” has sparked a political storm, after the authenticity of the certificate he shared came under serious doubt. Opposition parties, the BJP and JD(S), have launched sharp attacks on the government, accusing it of misleading the public with a fabricated recognition.
A few days ago, Siddaramaiah took to X to announce that the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel to women across Karnataka, had earned a place in the “London Book of World Records” for facilitating the highest number of free bus rides for women. The Chief Minister shared an image of the certificate, describing it as a proud moment for the state.
However, the claim quickly unravelled. BJP MLC and former minister C.T. Ravi alleged that the certificate was “fake” and part of a cheap publicity stunt. “The so-called London Book of World Records Ltd was shut down on July 15, 2025. This certificate is not just fake — it even has a price list! How low can you go to fool people with such tactics?” Ravi posted on X, attaching screenshots that purportedly show the organisation’s paid certificate packages.
According to Ravi, the “Classic Plan” costs Rs 4,000 and includes a certificate, medal, and trophy sent by courier, while the “Platinum Package” is priced at Rs 10,000. “This is what the Congress government is celebrating as a world record,” he ridiculed.
Adding to the controversy, JD(S) leaders also pointed out that the London-based entity mentioned on the certificate London Book of World Records Ltd is no longer operational. “It’s embarrassing that the Chief Minister’s Office did not even verify the authenticity of the organisation before making such a public claim,” a JD(S) spokesperson remarked.
BJP’s national IT cell head Amit Malviya took the attack national, calling it “a major embarrassment for Congress.” He wrote, “Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah proudly declared that two of his government’s schemes were listed in the London Book of Records. Turns out, the certificate is fake and riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. Someone has scammed the Congress or the Congress is scamming the people.”
The certificate shared by Siddaramaiah bore the names of Avinash D. Sakunde as “International President” and Dr Ivan Gasina as “Head of the European Union” of the so-called London Book of Records — both signatories on the document. BJP leaders claim that neither individual nor organisation has any credible record of maintaining world record databases.
Not only the certificate is fake. It has a rate card to buy .! How low can you go and show all this cheap tricks to fool people.
Buy link for reference- https://t.co/pkHAFmRlbw@siddaramaiah @INCKarnataka pic.twitter.com/z9jNXPn8AA
— Dr. Ravi C. T 🇮🇳 ಡಾ. ರವಿ ಸಿ. ಟಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) October 17, 2025
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has since moved into damage-control mode. A senior CMO official, when contacted, admitted that the matter is under review. “The certificate was initially shared with us by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy. We have now sought a clarification from him,” the official said.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders have demanded a public apology from the Chief Minister for what they call “an attempt to deceive the people of Karnataka for political gain.” “When you run a government, you are expected to show honesty, not fall for cheap PR stunts,” said former minister R. Ashoka, calling for an inquiry into how the fake recognition was circulated by the CM’s official social media handle.
The Shakti scheme, launched in June 2023, allows women in Karnataka to travel for free on state-run buses. According to KSRTC, the program has recorded over 500 crore rides by women passengers, saving an estimated Rs 4,000 crore collectively for beneficiaries.
