The saffron party has warned that it will launch a statewide agitation if Minister B Nagendra is not removed from the Cabinet by June 6. Accusing the CID of being a “Congress Investigation Department,” Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka on Thursday demanded the resignation of ST Welfare Minister B Nagendra over alleged embezzlement at a state-run corporation. He warned that the BJP would mobilize statewide protests if the minister was not dropped from the Cabinet before June 6.
At a joint press conference with BJP leaders C T Ravi, Lehar Singh Siroya, and Govind Karjol at the party state office, Ashoka urged the state government to transfer the case to central agencies. He claimed that the embezzlement of substantial sums led to the suicide of a government official who was allegedly under pressure from the minister. Ashoka called the incident a clear case of murder, demanding that the state government charge the minister accordingly. He argued that the CID, currently probing the case, would only work to exonerate Congress leaders involved in large-scale corruption.
Ashoka pointed out that the victim’s death note named officials who harassed him and mentioned a significant scam in the corporation carried out under the minister’s instructions. He asserted that such a scam could not have occurred without the support of the entire Cabinet, including the chief minister, suggesting the CM should also resign over the scandal. Ashoka alleged that the Rs 197 crore embezzlement from the Maharishi Valmiki Development Corporation demonstrated that the Congress came to power to misappropriate funds meant for the downtrodden, Dalits, and tribals.
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, speaking in Hosapete, stated that hundreds of crores had been transferred from the Valmiki Development Corporation to a cooperative bank in Hyderabad, making it a case fit for a CBI probe. He noted that cases involving misuse of more than Rs 10 crore should be investigated by the CBI, suggesting the embezzled money might have been used for elections. Bommai referenced K S Eshwarappa’s resignation over a contractor’s death and argued that Nagendra should similarly resign, given the death note’s accusations.
In Bellary, BJP leaders demanded Nagendra’s resignation in connection with the suicide of government official Chandrasekhara. They warned of a statewide struggle starting June 7 if the minister did not resign. They alleged that Nagendra could influence the investigation if he remained in office and called for a CBI probe instead of a CID investigation. They claimed that the scandal occurred with the government’s knowledge and demanded that the case be transferred to the CBI for a fair investigation.
