Now Reading: Karnataka minister B Nagendra quits, alleges tribal bias in CBI case
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Karnataka minister B Nagendra quits, alleges tribal bias in CBI case
Karnataka Planning minister B Nagendra resigned on Friday, days after the CBI sought sanction from Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute him in the alleged Rs 90 crore Maharishi Valmiki ST Corporation scam.…
Karnataka Planning minister B Nagendra resigned on Friday, days after the CBI sought sanction from Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute him in the alleged Rs 90 crore Maharishi Valmiki ST Corporation scam. At an emotional press conference in Bengaluru, Nagendra said he stepped down with a heavy heart to avoid embarrassing his party leadership, but accused the BJP of targeting him because of his tribal identity. 'Manuwadis targeted me because they don't want a tribal man to grow,' he said.
Nagendra challenged the BJP to contest him in Ballari, offering to resign his MLA seat and face a bypoll. 'They can't scare me with ED, CBI,' he said. The CBI has filed three charge sheets against him, all pending before the governor. The BJP-JD(S) opposition had stepped up protests demanding his resignation, including a planned gherao of Vidhana Soudha. Union minister H D Kumaraswamy backed the alliance's protest strategy, said opposition leader R Ashoka.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Nagendra's resignation follows a pattern where CBI and ED cases against state ministers become flashpoints in Karnataka's coalition politics. The Valmiki Corporation case involves alleged siphoning of funds meant for Scheduled Tribe welfare, a politically sensitive issue in a state where the Congress has courted tribal voters. The next step rests with Governor Gehlot, who must decide on the prosecution sanction. His call could set a precedent: the state government has separately sought sanction against BJP leaders Gali Janardhana Reddy and M P Renukacharya. A differential treatment on Nagendra's sanction could sharpen opposition charges of selective federal agency use.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
