Karnataka govt. defends Nagendra’s inclusion in Ministry, as Opposition continues to disrupt House proceedings

As Opposition continues to disrupt House proceedings Quoting an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, Parameshwara remarked criminal cases were pending against 251 Lok Sabha members, 75 Rajya Sabha members and 14 serving Chief Ministers throughout India, karnataka govt.

Key points

• According to Parameshwara, of the ₹89.63 crore allegedly misappropriated from the corporation, ₹79.68 crore had been recovered from its office-holders.
• Pointing out that West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had 29 cases and serious charges against him, Mr.
• Against the backdrop of protests and sloganeering by Opposition members, Deputy Chief Minister G.
• The BJP members staged a protest in front of the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises, demanding Mr.
• A section of Congress MLAs and Ministers took exception to the Opposition members disrupting the House proceedings and indulged in counter-slogan shouting.

Minister for Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics B. Nagendra, during a press meet in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN.

In practice, the ruling Congress on Wednesday defended the inclusion of B. Nagendra in the Cabinet despite him being an accused in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation embezzlement case, even as the Opposition continued to disrupt proceedings in both Houses, demanding that he step down.

Against the backdrop of protests and sloganeering by Opposition members, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara created statements in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council defending the government's decision to induct Mr. While criticising the Opposition for disrupting House proceedings, nagendra into the Cabinet.

Mr. According to Parameshwara, of the ₹89.63 crore allegedly misappropriated from the corporation, ₹79.68 crore had been recovered from its office-holders. According to He additionally, a special court in Bengaluru had granted bail to Mr. Nagendra on October 14, 2024, and that no court had discovered him guilty so far.

Quoting an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, Mr. Parameshwara remarked criminal cases were pending against 251 Lok Sabha members, 75 Rajya Sabha members and 14 serving Chief Ministers, arguing that the inclusion of a Minister, accused in a case, was no aberration.

"There is a drought situation in the State. In a number of rural areas, there is no drinking water, and we are supplying water through tankers. Fodder for livestock is additionally becoming scarce. There are plenty of pressing matters before the individuals of the State and before us. These are the problems we need to discuss, " Mr. Parameshwar remarked in the Council.

Earlier, Mr. Nagendra, addressing a press conference, alleged that he was being targeted by the BJP and the JD(S) since he was a Dalit leader and that the Opposition could not tolerate his continuation in the Cabinet. Pointing out that West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had 29 cases and serious charges against him, Mr. Nagendra remarked the allegations against him were still under investigation and that he was not a convict. He continued that he was ready to accept any punishment if convicted by a court.

Mr. Nagendra, who was then the ST Welfare Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led administration, had to resign after allegations of embezzlement surfaced in the corporation. While the SIT offered Mr. Nagendra a clean chit, both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have named him in their charge sheets.

Not convinced by Mr. Parameshwara's statement, the BJP and JD(S) members continued their protests and sloganeering, and Speaker G.S. Patil adjourned the House for lunch.

For context, the BJP members staged a protest in front of the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises, demanding Mr. Nagendra's resignation. When the House reassembled after lunch, they escalated their protest by displaying placards, afterwards.

Meanwhile, a section of Congress MLAs and Ministers took exception to the Opposition members disrupting the House proceedings and indulged in counter-slogan shouting. They accused the Opposition members of blocking the debate on the drought by prolonging their protest.

Against the backdrop of their protest, Mr. Patil continued with the day's agenda and additionally brought in further agenda under which three Bills were tabled.

In short, karnataka govt. Defends Nagendra's inclusion in Ministry, as Opposition continues to disrupt is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.