BJP holds state-wide protest over 'Valmiki' scam, demands CM's resignation

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Karnataka BJP on Thursday held a state-wide protest against the Congress government over alleged illegal money transfer scam involving a state-run corporation, and demanded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation.

BJP workers and leaders held demonstrations in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in almost all districts in the state, party sources said. The party's state President B Y Vijayendra took part in the demonstration held in the district headquarters town of Chitradurga.

As Vijayendra and other leaders tried to march towards the Deputy Commissioner's office there, police detained them and whisked them away in a bus. There are reports of similar protests from various parts of the state including Belagavi, Mandya and Mangaluru.

Vijayendra alleged that the government is trying to cover up the scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

"There are death threats to officials and those who want to expose the government's scams. Congress government has done a daylight robbery of funds that were kept for the Valmiki and other ST communities, and thereby it has done injustice to those communities," he said.

Speaking to reporters as he was being whisked away in the bus, he said, "(Medical Education) Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, Valmiki Corporation's Chairman Basanagouda Daddal will have to resign. Not only that, the Chief Minister holds the Finance portfolio, without coming to his notice such a big scam would not have happened. Allegations have surfaced that the money was utilised for the election, so the Chief Minister has to resign."

The illegal money transfer issue, involving the Corporation, came to light, after its accounts superintendent, Chandrashekhar P, died by suicide on May 26, leaving behind a death note.

The note claimed unauthorised transfer of Rs 187 crore belonging to the Corporation from its bank account, and from that, Rs 88.62 crore was illegally moved to various accounts allegedly belonging to "well-known" IT companies and a Hyderabadbased cooperative bank among others.

Chandrashekhar has named the Corporation's now-suspended Managing Director J G Padmanabh, accounts officer Parashuram G Durugannavar, and Union Bank of India Chief Manager Suchismita Rawal in the note, while also stating that the "Minister" had issued oral orders for transferring the funds.

Following allegations against him in connection with the scam, Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra tendered his resignation on June 6. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said the BJP will press for Siddaramaih's resignation during the upcoming Assembly session.