BENGALURU: The Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed pandemonium as Opposition BJP legislators, with the backing of JDS members, staged protests demanding the resignation of Planning and Statistics Minister B Nagendra over the alleged multi-crore Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation scam.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara suggested that Opposition parties question Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot as he had administered the oath of secrecy as minister to Nagendra. “The governor is the constitutional head who administered the oath; if he (Nagendra) was guilty how come the governor did it?” he said.
Even as Speaker G S Patil held a reconciliatory meeting with Parameshwara and Opposition members led by LoP R Ashoka, the BJP continued to protest resulting in the proceedings being adjourned twice.
After the proceedings resumed, Ashoka said the CBI had filed three chargesheets and the ED one against Nagendra and until he resigns they, will not join the discussion.
“Siddaramaiah, when he was CM, had admitted that it was not Rs 187 crore but Rs 89 crore that was diverted,” he said.
The BJP MLAs shouted slogans like “where did the looted money go? it’s gone to Rahul Gandhi’s home ... Sonia Gandhi’s home ... ministerial berths were sold...” They demanded that Nagendra should be dismissed from the cabinet.
Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda suggested that the Opposition give a notice and debate the issue.
Amid the din, the speaker continued with the house proceedings with the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2018, being withdrawn. The question hour also resumed with Parameshwara replying to ruling Congress legislators. The audit reports of several departments were also tabled and passed.
The 40th report (2025-26) of the Assembly Committee on Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj was also approved. After tabling the questions for the calling attention motion, the speaker adjourned the business to Tuesday.
Ashoka had earlier objected to the speaker running the business despite the House not being in order. Throughout the commotion, Nagendra was present in the House, keeping silence even as BJP members teased him and asked him to spill the beans as to where the money went.
Protest in Council too
As soon as the Legislative Council opened for business on Monday, the Opposition BJP and JDS started sloganeering demanding the resignation of minister B Nagendra in the alleged Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam.
Opposition members stated that they would not allow the Council to function as long as Nagendra remains in the cabinet.
Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanswamy said, “Nagendra has not received a clean chit. The matter is still in the court”. He hit out at the state government, alleging that Rs 187 crore had been siphoned off from the Valmiki Corporation and questioned how Nagendra was back in the cabinet.
He warned that the BJP would intensify its protests inside and outside the legislature if Nagendra is not removed.
Minister gives written reply
In a written reply to the House to the question raised by MLC CT Ravi on the scam, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Minister T Raghumurthy said the Home Department has provided information about the amount of Rs 84.63 crore that was misused out of the Rs 187.33 crore in the Union Bank (MG Road) account belonging to the Valmiki Development Corporation.
The minister also stated that 14 accused have been arrested and a preliminary chargesheet has been submitted to the court in connection with the misuse of Rs 84.63 crore in an account belonging to the corporation at Union Bank on MG Road, Bengaluru.
The case is at the investigation stage and the final charge sheet has not been submitted to the court, he said.