India, Aug. 19 -- Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has rejected the opposition's demand for the removal of Minister B Nagendra from the cabinet, terming the BJP and JD(S) members' protest on the matter, disrupting the legislature proceedings, as a "drama" for political existence. He defended the decision to re-induct Nagendra into the cabinet, and said that the latter has no involvement in the alleged scam. Karnataka Legislative Assembly proceedings witnessed disruptions for the second day on Tuesday, with the Opposition staging a protest in the House, demanding the removal of Minister Nagendra, who faces charges in connection with the alleged embezzlement of crores of rupees at a state-run corporation, from the Cabinet. Also Read - Assam Cong suspends 14 leaders for anti-party activities Advertisement "Facing an existential crisis, the BJP and JD(S), despite knowing the truth, are playing this big drama. We have told them to give a notice, discuss and convince us (government) why Nagendra should be removed. We will respond why Nagendra is back in the cabinet," Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters after the Congress Legislature Party meeting late on Tuesday night, he said they are demanding the removal of an ST Minister from the Cabinet without any basis. "Aren't there so many ministers at the centre and other states who have cases against them? We have verified cases against him (Nagendra). There is no mention of his direct role in the ED case against him. We have also investigated. Out of about Rs 84 crore (allegedly embezzled amount), about Rs 79 crore has already been recovered. Nothing has been recovered from Nagendra; he had no involvement," he added. Also Read - Gadkari warns of action against faulty project reports Considering all the facts, and noting that two years had passed since Nagendra resigned as a minister in the Siddaramaiah government and that injustice had been done to him, the CM said he has been given another opportunity. "Let the opposition give notice and discuss in the House. They are not going to the well of the House and are protesting from their seats. They point out that Congress did a similar protest in Delhi (parliament). We are watching things patiently," he said. Nagendra, who resigned from the previous Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet following allegations of embezzling money from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, was inducted into the D K Shivakumar-led Ministry on August 3. He is now the Minister for Planning and Statistics. Also Read - SC asks Centre to implement pilot project to link fuel sale with valid insurance status Claiming that the opposition was protesting aimed at ensuring their own existence, Shivakumar said, let them do whatever they want, but they are aware that they are weak. "They are saying that they have been instructed from Delhi not to allow the house to function as Congress did not allow parliament to function. So they are doing it," he added. ED had arrested the Ballari MLA Nagendra in the Valmiki Corporation scam case in July 2024, and a Special Court in Bengaluru granted him bail in October that year. He has been named in the chargesheets prepared by the ED and CBI. Hitting out at Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy for the JD(S) protest against the acquisition of farmers' land for the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project near Bidadi in Bengaluru South district, the CM asked as to why the former did not come when he had invited him for discussion on the matter? Also Read - US Ambassador Sergio Gor visits Kashmir, first US envoy trip since Article 370 abrogation "Let him ask his party to discuss the issue in the Assembly," he said, as he accused Kumaraswamy of trying to play "drama" on the issue now, after initially acquiring the land for the project and marking areas as "red zone" when he was the CM. Responding to a question on alleged comments by Kumaraswamy accusing him of involvement in "real estate business", Shivakumar said, " Who started it? Kumaraswamy is its Pitamaha". "Will the government do real estate business? We want the welfare of the people," he said, pointing out that there are several townships around Bengaluru aimed at the welfare of people of the city and creating job opportunities for them. Alleging that Kumaraswamy and JD(S) don't like the welfare of the people, the CM said they don't want people of Ramanagara, Kanakapura, Chennapatna and Magadi to develop. The CM said he is going to Delhi on Wednesday to participate in the e Congress Working Committee meeting, and will also be going to Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu to attend the Southern Zonal Council meeting on Thursday.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.