Valmiki Corporation scam: BJP to hold statewide demo demanding K’taka CM’s resignation

PTI, Jun 27, 2024, 4:35 PM IST

The BJP in Karnataka has announced that it will stage statewide protests on June 28 demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the alleged financial irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited (KMVSTDC).

Addressing reporters, BJP ST Morcha State President Shri Bangaru Hanumanthu said the agitation will take place in all the district and Taluk headquarters and major villages.

“We will not stop our protests till the Chief Minister resigns from his post. Tomorrow on June 28 we are going to stage a vehement protest across the state and lay siege to the offices of the deputy commissioners in all the districts,” Hanumanthu said.

He said 10 lakh handbills will be distributed in all the districts, Taluks and villages to inform every family in the state about the scam.

The BJP leader claimed that the size of the scam is much bigger that what has come out now.

“It is a Rs 187 crore worth mega scam. The Congress has misused most of the amount and spent at least Rs 89 crore. It transferred money to more than 700 bank accounts in Bengaluru Rural district, Ballari district, Telangana capital Hyderabad and in Davangere,” he alleged.

The BJP leader sought to know why the Finance department was not informed when new bank accounts were opened and the amount was transferred.
“Minister B Nagendra’s resignation is not a solution. What will we do with his resignation? There are many more involved in it such as Sharanaprakash Patil, Basawaraj Daddal and CM Siddaramaiah. They have to resign en mass. Only then it will have a meaning,” Hanumanthu added.

The scam came to fore after accounts superintendent of the KMVSTDC Chandrasekharan P was found dead on May 21. He wrote a suicide note alleging illegal transfer of money from the Corporation to various bank accounts.

Subsequently two officials were suspended. With mounting pressure ST Welfare Minister Nagendra resigned on May 29.