Bengaluru, Aug 29 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, on Saturday alleged that Karnataka Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra was forced to resign to save the Karnataka government from embarrassment over the alleged Valmiki Corporation irregularities.

Reacting to the media in Bengaluru on Nagendra’s statement that he tendered his resignation to prevent embarrassment to the Congress party, Kumaraswamy questioned what had caused the alleged embarrassment and why the former minister was made to step down.

“It is not important who won or who gets publicity. I have observed Nagendra’s statements yesterday and today. He has claimed that he tendered his resignation to avoid embarrassment to the Congress party. What is the reason for this embarrassment? Why was he forced to resign? What was the Rs 84 crore scam? Was Nagendra made to resign to escape from this?” Kumaraswamy asked.

Kumaraswamy also hit back at Nagendra’s remarks questioning whether the Union Minister had cases against him.

He said the cases against him were political in nature and claimed that there were no allegations that he had misappropriated public money.

“These allegations have been continuing for the last 14 years. They have kept the cases alive, but they cannot silence Kumaraswamy. Are there any allegations that I have taken money? Do I face charges of causing losses to the government exchequer?” he asked.

Kumaraswamy said that despite becoming Chief Minister twice, he had not attempted to suppress or close the cases against him.

“If I had done anything wrong, I could have buried the cases when I became Chief Minister twice. I did not do that. I have left them open for investigation,” he said.

The Union Minister alleged that the state government was facing embarrassment because of the alleged financial irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

He alleged that money meant for the welfare of tribal communities had been misappropriated and distributed among individuals, and claimed that Nagendra’s resignation was intended to deflect responsibility from the government.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has sought the state Cabinet’s opinion on the issue of granting sanction for prosecution in connection with Nagendra. The Governor has also sought the government’s opinion on granting prosecution sanction against former minister Renukacharya and BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy in separate matters.

According to government sources, the Karnataka government is currently in a difficult position over the decisions concerning the prosecution sanctions.

–IANS

mka/rad