BJP MLCs Demand Dismissal of Minister Nagendra over Valmiki Scam
· India · The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times
In the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, BJP and JD(S) members disrupted Question Hour on 17 August 2026, demanding that Minister B. Nagendra be dropped from the cabinet after allegations of multi‑crore embezzlement in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Nagendra, who currently holds the Planning and Statistics portfolio, resigned from Siddaramaiah’s cabinet in June 2024 following the scandal but was re‑inducted into D.K. Shivakumar’s cabinet on 3 August 2026. Opposition leaders R. Ashok and V. Sunil Kumar argued that a minister allegedly involved in corruption should not participate in legislative questioning. The report does not specify whether any investigation has already been initiated or what the government's response will be. Separately, BJP and JD(S) have called for a judicial inquiry and the resignation of Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy after the January 2027 killing of three suspected poachers in Hanur taluk by Forest Department personnel.
Why it matters
The accusations target key ministers in Karnataka's cabinet, potentially reshaping the state's leadership and undermining public trust in government institutions. Families of the poached men and the broader community may seek justice and accountability, affecting forest department operations.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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