Bengaluru, Aug 19 (IANS) Responding to BJP and JD(S) disrupting the Assembly proceedings and demanding his resignation in connection with the tribal welfare case, Minister for Planning and Statistics, B. Nagendra, on Wednesday accused the Opposition of targeting him, alleging that “Manuvadis” were conspiring to remove a Dalit and tribal leader from the Cabinet. The minister questioned the Opposition’s continued demand for his resignation despite the government’s willingness to discuss the issue in the Assembly.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Nagendra stated, “Why? Because a Dalit has once again become a minister. A person from the tribal community has once again become a minister. These Manuvadis are conspiring to somehow remove us from the Cabinet and push us out of office.”
Nagendra, who was recently inducted into the Cabinet for a second term, said the BJP and JD(S) were deliberately disrupting the Assembly proceedings by demanding his resignation instead of participating in a discussion on the Valmiki Corporation case and other issues concerning the state.
Nagendra said he was ready to face questions in the Assembly and explain the facts surrounding the alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.
According to Nagendra, Rs 187 crore was transferred from the Corporation without a Board meeting and without his knowledge or that of the Corporation chairman. He maintained that he had limited involvement in the Corporation’s functioning and claimed that the money was transferred by officials without obtaining the required financial approval.
He said that after the death of Corporation accounts superintendent P. Chandrashekhar, an investigation was ordered and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted on May 31, 2024.
Nagendra said that of the Rs 187 crore, Rs 100 crore was frozen immediately after the irregularity came to light, while the remaining Rs 87 crore was transferred through Union Bank of India to Hyderabad and subsequently distributed among around 800 accounts.
He claimed that investigators had traced the transactions and recovered around Rs 79 crore so far. He added that the remaining amount was either recovered or was in the process of being recovered.
Nagendra also reiterated that he had voluntarily resigned from the Cabinet earlier to ensure that there was no possibility of his position influencing the investigation. He said that when the FIR was registered, not a single rupee from the alleged transaction had reached his account or any account connected to him.
“I am innocent, and it pains me deeply that you are trying to portray a Dalit as a criminal,” he said.
Nagendra also referred to the Enforcement Directorate’s action against him following his resignation, saying he was arrested and jailed during the investigation. He said he subsequently approached the court and secured relief before seeking another opportunity to serve as a minister.
The minister questioned the Opposition’s continued demand for his resignation despite the government’s willingness to discuss the issue in the Assembly.
He said the Opposition should also allow discussions on issues such as the Cauvery water dispute, drought and the state’s requirements for water, instead of preventing the House from functioning.
Nagendra further alleged that the Opposition was targeting him because he belongs to the Dalit and tribal communities. He cited the recent controversy surrounding Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s visit to Uttarakhand, where a place was allegedly “purified” after his visit, to argue that caste discrimination continues to exist in the country.
“The entire Valmiki community of Karnataka is watching how the BJP is targeting a Dalit,” he said, appealing to Opposition leaders not to view Dalits and Adivasis with hostility.
“When a Dalit rises to a position of prominence, you should be happy. When an Adivasi rises from among ordinary people and does good work, you should be happy,” Nagendra said.
He urged the Opposition to participate in a detailed discussion in the Assembly, saying he was prepared to answer all questions and clarify the facts surrounding the Valmiki Corporation case.
It can be noted that the Karnataka tribal welfare scam involves the illegal diversion of roughly ₹89 to ₹94 crore from the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited into fake accounts and shell companies.
The scam surfaced in May 2024 following the suicide of a corporation accounts superintendent, who left a note detailing unauthorized fund transfers.
Roughly Rs 89–94 crore was illegally moved from the corporation’s account to various fake accounts, particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, for misappropriation. The scam resulted in the resignation of the state’s then Tribal Welfare Minister, B. Nagendra.
The ED conducted investigations into money laundering, conducting raids and identifying former Minister B. Nagendra as the key figure behind the scheme. Parallel investigations by the SIT and CBI led to the arrest of multiple individuals, including bank staff, corporate executives, and intermediaries.
The SIT under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has given clean chit to Minister Nagendra.
–IANS
mka/rad