The political landscape in Bengaluru was wrought with unrest on Thursday as BJP leaders, including the party’s Karnataka unit President B Y Vijayendra, were detained while attempting to siege Vidhana Soudha. The demand for the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd fueled the protest. Holding placards, banners, and posters, the BJP legislators and workers raised slogans against the Congress government, accusing it of large-scale corruption.
In a parallel development, the custody of former Congress minister B Nagendra, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged multi-crore scam at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, was extended by five days. Nagendra, who was arrested on July 12 following ED’s massive search operations in 23 places across four states, will now remain in the Central agency’s custody till July 22.
The alleged misappropriation of Rs 89.62 crore belonging to the corporation came to light after accounts superintendent Chandrashekhar died by suicide on May 26 at his Shivamogga residence. This incident has triggered a series of investigations and arrests, bringing the alleged scam to the forefront of Karnataka’s political sphere.
As the ED continues its probe, there are allegations that it is coercing those arrested and questioned in connection with the scam to name senior functionaries of the Karnataka government, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has accused the ED of attempting to destabilize the Congress government in the state, adding a new layer of complexity to the already tumultuous situation.
The developments surrounding the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam have not only sparked public outrage but also intensified the political tensions in the state. With the BJP’s forceful protest and the ongoing ED investigations, the ramifications of this scandal are likely to continue rippling through Karnataka’s political landscape in the foreseeable future.
