BENGALURU: Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has defended minister B Nagendra, saying he need not resign as the Lokayukta and SIT have already given him a clean chit in connection with the earlier allegations.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Jarkiholi alleged that the BJP’s campaign demanding Nagendra’s removal from the state Cabinet was politically motivated.
He said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should have resigned on moral grounds over the alleged NEET examination irregularities as the issue affected the future of lakhs of students. However, he said the Nagendra case was different.
Meanwhile, BJP and JD(S) legislators attempting to lay siege to Vidhana Soudha demanding Nagendra’s removal were detained by police.
The Opposition has accused Nagendra of involvement in the alleged ₹89-crore Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam and has demanded his dismissal from the Cabinet.
The controversy erupted in May-June 2024 after P Chandrashekharan, an accounts superintendent with the Valmiki Development Corporation, died by suicide. His death note alleged financial irregularities within the corporation, triggering a major political row.
The Opposition has continued to demand accountability in the case, while the ruling Congress has maintained that the investigations have addressed the allegations against Nagendra.
Jarkiholi reiterated that there was no basis for Nagendra to step down and accused the BJP of using the issue for political purposes.
