The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha on Wednesday, 12 August staged a demonstration at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of Karnataka Minister B. Nagendra over the alleged multi-crore scam in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. The protesters called on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Karnataka government to act against Nagendra, whose reinstatement as minister despite an ongoing investigation has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition.

Key Demands at the Protest

Addressing the gathering, BJP Yuva Morcha Bengaluru Central district president Jagadish R. Chandra argued that Nagendra's continued presence in the Cabinet was untenable given that the probe into the alleged scam remains active. 'An investigation into the case is still underway. Nagendra had resigned earlier in connection with the controversy, and it is not right to give him another opportunity to serve as a minister,' Chandra said.

Party workers raised slogans alleging that the Indian National Congress (Congress) high command and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were, in their words, 'shareholders' in the tribal welfare scam — a characterisation that the Congress has not formally responded to.

Escalation Warning and Broader Allegations

Chandra warned that if Nagendra did not step down, the Yuva Morcha would intensify its agitation under the leadership of BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra and Yuva Morcha state president Dheeraj Muniraju. He also levelled broader charges against the Congress administration, alleging it had failed farmers, students, and women.

Notably, Chandra criticised the recent Cabinet expansion for not inducting a single woman minister, asking: 'Does the government want only women's votes? What kind of justice is this?' He also took aim at Chief Minister Shivakumar over his response to student protests in Dharwad, alleging the CM prioritised visits to New Delhi over addressing in-state grievances. He further alleged that the delay in portfolio allocation to newly inducted ministers was stalling administration and inconveniencing citizens.

BJP Yuva Morcha Bengaluru North district president Yatin Venkatesh, along with office-bearers and party workers, participated in the protest.

Nagendra Hits Back, Calls Demands 'Ridiculous'

Minister B. Nagendra responded sharply, dismissing the protest as politically motivated. 'Wherever the BJP is weak, the party tries to create trouble for Congress leaders. This is a phenomenon seen across the country. If I join the BJP, all the charges against me would be washed away,' he said in Bengaluru.

Nagendra maintained that the charges against him were before the court and that a trial was ongoing. He claimed he had been specifically targeted because the Congress had swept all five Assembly constituencies in Ballari district. 'Of the ₹84 crore recovered, not a single rupee has been recovered from me,' he asserted.

Nagendra also alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had timed its notices and public statements to coincide with the Cabinet expansion, suggesting a coordinated effort to implicate him. 'They have levelled conspiracy charges against me and want to implicate me in the case and keep me entangled in it for 10 to 20 years,' he alleged.

Background: The Valmiki Corporation Scam

The controversy centres on alleged financial irregularities in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, a state body meant to channel welfare funds to Scheduled Tribe communities. Nagendra had previously resigned from the Cabinet amid the initial fallout of the scam allegations, only to be reinstated — a decision the BJP argues is indefensible while investigations remain open. The case has become a flashpoint in Karnataka's political landscape, with the Opposition seeking to use it to undermine the Congress government's credibility on tribal welfare.

What Happens Next

With the BJP Yuva Morcha threatening to escalate protests under senior party leadership, and the CBI probe reportedly still active, pressure on the Karnataka government over the Valmiki Corporation case is unlikely to ease. The Congress administration's handling of the issue — and whether it moves to address the Opposition's demands or holds firm — will be closely watched in the coming weeks.