Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday alleged that former Karnataka Minister B. Nagendra was made to resign to shield the Congress government from embarrassment over alleged financial irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Kumaraswamy questioned Nagendra's explanation that he stepped down to prevent embarrassment to the Congress party and sought clarity on the circumstances surrounding his resignation.

Reacting to Nagendra's recent remarks, Kumaraswamy questioned what had caused the alleged embarrassment and why the former minister had to leave office. He also referred to the alleged Rs 84 crore irregularities linked to the Valmiki Corporation and asked whether Nagendra's resignation was intended to distance the government from the controversy. Kumaraswamy argued that the circumstances surrounding the resignation needed greater scrutiny.

Kumaraswamy also responded to Nagendra's remarks about cases against the Union Minister. He maintained that the cases against him were politically motivated and denied facing allegations of misappropriating public money or causing losses to the government exchequer. He questioned whether there were any charges against him involving the misuse of public funds.

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The Union Minister further argued that he had not attempted to suppress the cases against him despite serving as Karnataka Chief Minister twice. He maintained that if he had committed any wrongdoing, he could have attempted to close the cases while holding office, but instead allowed them to remain open for investigation. Kumaraswamy said the allegations against him had continued for around 14 years but had not prevented him from continuing his political activities.

Kumaraswamy alleged that the Valmiki Corporation controversy had created embarrassment for the Karnataka government because funds intended for the welfare of tribal communities were allegedly misappropriated and distributed to individuals. He claimed that Nagendra's resignation was aimed at shifting responsibility away from the government. The allegations concern financial irregularities involving the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has sought the state Cabinet's opinion on granting sanction for prosecution in connection with Nagendra. The Governor has also sought the government's views on prosecution sanction against former minister Renukacharya and BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy in separate matters. According to government sources, the Karnataka government is currently facing a difficult situation over decisions concerning the prosecution sanctions.

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