Bengaluru, August 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) have intensified their demand for the removal of Minister B. Nagendra amid allegations of a tribal welfare scam in Karnataka. On Tuesday, opposition parties announced that their protests would continue until Nagendra is dismissed from the cabinet. They have also decided to launch a joint movement against the government during the assembly session.
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok accused the state government of serious corruption. He stated that the opposition’s struggle would persist until the alleged corrupt government is ousted.
Ashok claimed, “This is Karnataka’s corrupt government. Our fight will continue until this corrupt administration is removed. We will protest until Minister Nagendra is dismissed and ₹184 crores are returned to the state treasury.”
He questioned the inclusion of Nagendra in the cabinet despite ongoing investigations by central agencies. Ashok alleged that there are cases against Nagendra in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with his name included in the charge sheet.
JDS legislator H.D. Revanna, son of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, stated that the BJP and JDS have decided to jointly confront the government. He mentioned that both parties would meet to strategize their protest.
Revanna said, “We have discussed conducting a joint movement. We agree with what BJP leaders have said regarding the protests. We will meet and formulate a united strategy against the government.”
BJP state president and legislator B.Y. Vijayendra called for discussions on critical state issues during the current assembly session. He highlighted various concerns, including drought and alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
Vijayendra urged Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to remove Nagendra from the cabinet without waiting for further debates in the assembly.
He stated, “If the state government and the Chief Minister care about these issues, they should allow discussions in the house. Time should not be wasted. Minister Nagendra should be removed from the cabinet immediately.”
Vijayendra also questioned the Chief Minister’s stance that action against Nagendra should wait for assembly discussions. He recalled that when Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister, Nagendra was removed after discussions and debates, indicating that there is nothing left to discuss now.
He appealed to Chief Minister Shivakumar to “let go of stubbornness” and remove Nagendra from the cabinet, while also demanding discussions on issues related to KPSC, Nice Township, and the Bidadi project.
The alleged tribal welfare scam in Karnataka involves the illegal withdrawal of approximately ₹89 to ₹94 crores from the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation Limited. This amount was intended for the welfare of the Scheduled Tribe community but is accused of being diverted through fake accounts and shell entities.
The case emerged in May 2024 after a corporation accountant committed suicide, leaving a note mentioning unauthorized and illegal fund transfers. This incident sparked political controversy, leading to Nagendra’s resignation as the tribal welfare minister after reports surfaced about funds allegedly being sent to accounts in neighboring states.
Investigations revealed that a newly opened bank account had ₹187 crores deposited, of which ₹89 to ₹94 crores were allegedly withdrawn systematically through intermediaries for unauthorized activities.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been investigating the money laundering aspect of the case and has conducted raids on several locations linked to the leaders and their associates. In its prosecution complaint, the ED has identified former Minister B. Nagendra as the alleged main accused and mastermind of the case.
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