BJP, JDS stage joint protest in Bengaluru over Valmiki scam, demand minister's resignation
BJP leaders B Y Vijayendra, R Ashoka and others were taken into preventive custody on Monday as they marched to lay siege to the Vidhana Soudha here, seeking the removal of Minister B Nagendra from the cabinet over his alleged involvement in the Valmiki Corporation scam.
The BJP and its ally JD(S) have mobilised large number of workers for the protest, with party workers arriving from different parts of Bengaluru and other areas.
The police had barricaded the Vidhana Soudha and deployed personnel at its gates to prevent the protesters from entering the premises.
The protesters, led by BJP leaders including MLC N Ravikumar and C T Ravi, attempted to move towards the Vidhana Soudha through the Vikas Soudha gate, leading to pushing and jostling with police. Several protesters were detained, while a BMTC bus was kept ready to transport those taken into custody.
The BJP also held a parallel protest at Freedom Park under the leadership of Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, with party leaders and workers raising slogans against the Congress government and demanding Nagendra's resignation.
The BJP has said that Nagendra, who had resigned as minister in 2024 following the alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Corporation Ltd, should not have been re-inducted into the cabinet.
The alleged scam came to light after funds belonging to the Corporation were allegedly transferred to various bank accounts. The matter gained wider attention following the suicide of the accounts superintendent of the Corporation P Chandrasekharan and the recovery of a note.
The CBI subsequently investigated the case and filed a charge sheet in which Nagendra's name was mentioned. The BJP has cited the charge sheet and a communication from the CBI to the Governor to demand his removal from the cabinet.
Nagendra had earlier resigned as minister amid the controversy. He was subsequently inducted into the cabinet again after D K Shivakumar became Chief Minister.
Addressing the protesters, Vijayendra accused the Congress government of "trying to suppress" the BJP's agitation and hit back at Shivakumar for describing the protesters as "goondas".
"Today, the BJP and JD(S) are fighting as the voice of the Dalits and those who have no voice. At such a time, they (Congress government) are trying to suppress our agitation," Vijayendra said.
Referring to Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement calling the opposition "hooligans", Vijayendra said, "Shivakumar, you are the hooligan. No one needs to teach us what hooliganism is. Today, you are trying to suppress our protest."
LoP Ashoka demanded Nagendra's resignation and questioned his re-induction into the cabinet.
"If he has any dignity and honour, he should come and resign. He should explain whether the Dalits were cheated or not, why he was arrested and why he was dismissed," Ashoka said.
"Instead, they are giving him bonus after bonus. You have all shared the money, and we will not let him off," he said.
The BJP leaders accused the government of protecting those facing corruption allegations and said the agitation would continue until Nagendra was removed from the cabinet.
