Tuesday’s Legislative Assembly proceedings witnessed a fierce war of words between the Treasury and opposition lawmakers as the BJP and JD(S) continued their spat over the alleged scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC).
There were multiple disruptions in the Assembly in the afternoon as BJP leaders alleged that funds leaked from KMVSTDC were used to fund the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
B.Y. Vijayendra, state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shikaripura MP, was one of the first to suggest that the ruling BJP had misused election funds. He said that “funds (from KMVSTDC) were transferred illegally during the Lok Sabha elections,” prompting Home Minister G. Parameshwara to step in. He said that such allegations could not be made as multiple agencies were investigating the matter, sparking a strong backlash from BJP members.
BJP MP Sunil Kumar hit back, demanding that the minister reveal whether the Congress “spent funds for the Ballari or Amethi elections”. Congress members protested the minister’s remarks and raised slogans against the BJP. Parliament was adjourned for a few minutes as Opposition members began fighting back with slogans of their own.
As Parliament resumed, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and former Home Minister Alaga Jinnanendra questioned the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) investigation, saying the prime suspect in the case, Satyanarayana Varma, had sought protection from the magistrate. He said the SIT was yet to seize his mobile phone and “recovery of his mobile phone will bring about a major change in the case.”
Leader of the Opposition R Ashok intervened, arguing that the detention application of recently arrested former minister B Nagendra said the funds were used for elections.
Several ministers in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet rose to their feet and demanded documents to back up Ashok’s claims. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda asked the MLA to submit the relevant documents to Parliament before making such claims, sparking another uproar in the Assembly.
Speaking later, BJP MP Basangowda Patil Yatnal alleged that the government was trying to bury the case by rushing to set up an SIT to investigate. “They know that if Nagendra opens his mouth, people in Delhi (the Congress’ top brass) will also have to go to jail,” Yatnal said, amid protests from the Finance Ministry bench.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to give his response in the scam case on Thursday.
© Indian Express Ltd.
First uploaded: 16 July 2024 20:53 IST
