BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) members threw the Karnataka Legislative Assembly into turmoil for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, 20 August, pressing their demand for the resignation of Planning and Statistics Minister B. Nagendra over the alleged Tribal Welfare Corporation scam. The disruptions have effectively stalled legislative business, with Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka now directly accusing the government of misleading the House.

What Triggered the Fresh Flashpoint

The session descended into sloganeering the moment proceedings commenced, with several BJP members wearing black badges in protest and standing at their seats. Speaker G.S. Patil attempted to press ahead with the Question Hour even as the Opposition continued its demonstration on the floor.

Ashoka escalated the confrontation by displaying what he described as a copy of a CBI chargesheet inside the Assembly chamber. He alleged that Nagendra faces 24 cases against him — a direct rebuttal to Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara's assertion, made a day earlier, that Nagendra had no cases pending and had received a clean chit.

Ashoka Alleges House Was Misled

'For the last three days, we have been protesting against the loot of Dalits' money in the state. The rights of all 224 MLAs are being affected because of the Nagendra issue. We have continued the protest for the fourth day for a simple reason — the rights of 224 MLAs should not be compromised for one minister,' Ashoka said.

He alleged that the Enforcement Directorate had filed three chargesheets in the matter and that the Lokayukta had also registered cases against the minister. Ashoka added that he had already spent nearly two-and-a-half hours presenting documents related to the case in the Assembly, and accused Parameshwara of furnishing incorrect information to the House.

Government Pushes Back

Parameshwara maintained that Nagendra was not guilty and said he possessed documents to support that position. Minister for Scheduled Tribe Welfare T. Raghu Murthy intervened, suggesting the Opposition leader direct his queries formally to the government rather than through floor disruptions.

Speaker Patil urged Ashoka to raise the matter through debate rather than through protest, noting that the House had already devoted considerable time to the issue. Ashoka, however, stood firm, saying his remarks were a direct response to the Deputy Chief Minister's statement and should be allowed to continue on the record.

Appeal to End Disruptions Falls Short

In the Legislative Council, Parameshwara separately appealed to the Opposition to withdraw its protest. 'It is enough now. There are several other issues, including drought, that need to be discussed. I appeal to the Opposition to withdraw the protest,' he said, referencing his Wednesday statement on the case.

The appeal went unheeded. The Opposition bloc maintained its demand for Nagendra's resignation, signalling that the standoff — now in its fourth day — shows no immediate sign of resolution. With the session clock ticking and critical issues such as drought relief awaiting floor time, the deadlock carries real legislative cost.