Bengaluru, Aug 21 (PTI) BJP and JD(S) MLAs on Friday took out a march to Vidhana Soudha here demanding the resignation of Minister B Nagendra, who is facing charges in connection with the alleged embezzlement of crores of rupees at a state-run corporation.
They also barged into the Assembly, breaking the blockade by marshals who were preventing the agitators from wearing black T-shirts, saying it is prohibited inside the House.
The protesters staged the agitation in front of the Maharshi Valmiki statue, with Opposition Leader R Ashoka and BJP state president B Y Vijayendra leading the protest.
The BJP and JD(S) have been demanding Nagendra’s resignation for several days and had earlier staged a protest wearing black badges.
“Minister Nagendra should be removed. Dismiss Minister Nagendra. Dismiss him,” the protesters shouted.
Marshals stopped the BJP and JD(S) MLAs wearing black T-shirts at the entrance to the Legislative Assembly.
The MLAs objected to being stopped by the marshals, with the BJP and JD(S) leaders confronting them.
Ashoka questioned the Congress over its continued support for Nagendra.
“Even with the evidence, is it fair for the Congress to disrupt the entire Assembly session just to save one person (Nagendra)? Is this fair? Congress leaders should answer me,” he said.
He also claimed that there were 31 criminal cases against Nagendra to counter the Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara’s statement that Nagendra was innocent.
“I have released so many documents, including the CBI chargesheet. Do you still have any doubts about this? Immediately dismiss him (Nagendra) and allow the Assembly to function,” he said.
Addressing reporters, Vijayendra accused the Congress government of being “a government of the corrupt, by the corrupt and for the corrupt,” alleging that the Karnataka State Maharshi Valmiki Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation funds had been illegally diverted for the benefit of the Congress and its election campaign in 2024 Lok Sabha election.
He further alleged that Nagendra’s removal could lead to the disclosure of details involving others.
The Opposition BJP has disrupted proceedings in both Houses of the Karnataka Legislature for several days, demanding Nagendra’s removal.
Nagendra, who resigned from the previous Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet following allegations of embezzlement of funds from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, was inducted into the Shivakumar-led Ministry on August 3. He is currently the Minister for Planning and Statistics.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested the Ballari MLA in connection with the Valmiki corporation scam in July 2024, and a special court in Bengaluru granted him bail in October that year.
Nagendra has been named in the charge sheets filed by the ED and CBI in connection with the case. PTI GMS KH
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