Bengaluru: The opposition BJP on Tuesday renewed its demand for the removal of newly inducted Minister B Nagendra, an accused in an alleged ST development corporation scam, if the Congress government wished a smooth functioning of the legislative session, which is starting from August 13.
Addressing a press conference here, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra warned that the party will not let the Legislative Assembly and the Council to function if the Minister continues in his position.
When Nagendra was the Tribal Development Minister from May 2023 to June 2024, the Rs 89 crore scam came to light in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation Limited’S (KSTDCL) after its accounts superintendent P Chandrasekharan died by suicide writing a suicide note explaining the illegalities.
It is alleged that Rs 187 crore was pooled into Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation Limited’S (KSTDCL) Union Bank of India (UBI) account by its managing director (MD) and accounts officer.
“A sum of Rs 89.63 crore was fraudulently diverted through forged cheques and RTGS transactions, and the diverted funds were further layered through approximately 600 bank accounts and ultimately converted into cash, bullion, and luxury vehicles for the benefit of the accused,” the CBI alleged in its statement.
The diversion was allegedly facilitated by UBI officials posted in its MG Road Branch in Bengaluru in violation of banking norms.
Vijayendra said, “Before the House begins on August 13, we are demanding that the Chief Minister drop Nagendra, the corrupt minister, from the Cabinet.”
The Shikaripura MLA said no one can accept the induction of Nagendra into the cabinet.
“We are warning the Chief Minister today that Nagendra’s resignation must be obtained before the House begins. Otherwise, both outside and inside the House, the BJP and JD(S) will fight this issue until the Chief Minister obtains Nagendra’s resignation,” Vijayendra said.
He reminded Chief Minister D K Shivakumar that the BJP is keen to discuss the burning issues of the state in the assembly and the council but not in the presence of Nagendra as the Minister
Vijayendra alleged that the money that was meant for the development of the youth belonging to the Scheduled Tribe community was taken to the neighbouring state of Telangana.
Many fake bank accounts were opened, cash was withdrawn from them, and the money was misused even during the elections and for purchasing gold.
“There is also a chargesheet against Nagendra. He has not received a clean chit even now. The investigation is continuing and he is facing the case. In such circumstances, inducting Nagendra into the Cabinet is an unforgivable offence,” the BJP state chief alleged.
He sought to know the compulsion that made Shivakumar to induct Nagendra in the government.
“Was there any fear? Or did pressure come from the Congress high command on the Chief Minister? That also needs to be clarified,” the BJP leader said.
He highlighted that the BJP wants to discuss the burning issues of the state comprehensively on the floor of the House.
He alleged that there was drought in several parts of the state.
“Farmers are in distress in the state due to adverse weather condition. We have also observed that crops sown by farmers have failed to yield because there was a delay of a month in receiving rainfall after sowing,” the MLA said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
