Bail, Recovery Cited as Karnataka Govt Justifies Nagendra's Cabinet Entry; Oppn Stalls House

The Karnataka government on Wednesday defended the inclusion of B. Nagendra in the state Cabinet despite him being an accused in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation embezzlement case, even as opposition parties continued to disrupt proceedings in both Houses demanding his resignation.

Amid protests and sloganeering by opposition members, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara made statements in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, presenting the government's rationale for inducting Mr. Nagendra. He said that of the ₹89.63 crore allegedly misappropriated from the corporation, ₹79.68 crore had been recovered from its officials. He also noted that a special court in Bengaluru had granted bail to Mr. Nagendra on October 14, 2024, and that no court had found him guilty so far.

Quoting an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, Mr. Parameshwara said criminal cases were pending against 251 Lok Sabha members, 75 Rajya Sabha members, and 14 serving Chief Ministers, arguing that the inclusion of a minister facing accusations was not an aberration. He urged the opposition to allow the House to discuss pressing public issues.

“There is a drought situation in the State. In several rural areas, there is no drinking water, and we are supplying water through tankers. Fodder for livestock is also becoming scarce. There are many pressing issues before the people of the State and before us. These are the issues we need to discuss,” Mr. Parameshwara said in the Council.

Earlier, Mr. Nagendra, addressing a press conference, alleged that he was being targeted by the BJP and the JD(S) because he was a Dalit leader, and that the opposition could not tolerate his continuation in the Cabinet. Pointing out that West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had 29 cases and serious charges against him, Mr. Nagendra said the allegations against him were still under investigation and that he was not a convict. He added that he was ready to accept any punishment if convicted by a court.

Mr. Nagendra, who was then the ST Welfare Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government, had resigned after allegations of embezzlement surfaced in the corporation. While the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) gave Mr. Nagendra a clean chit, both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have named him in their charge sheets.

Not convinced by Mr. Parameshwara's statement, the BJP and JD(S) members continued their protests and sloganeering. Speaker G.S. Patil adjourned the House for lunch. Later, BJP members staged a protest in front of the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises, demanding Mr. Nagendra's resignation. When the House reassembled, they escalated their protest by displaying placards.

A section of Congress MLAs and ministers took exception to the opposition's disruption and indulged in counter-slogan shouting. They accused the opposition members of blocking the debate on the drought by prolonging their protest. Amid the protest, Mr. Patil continued with the day's agenda and brought in additional agenda under which three Bills were tabled.