K’taka BJP to stage protest over Tribal welfare scam: Vijayendra
Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday said the party has decided to stage a round‑the‑clock protest during the ongoing Monsoon Session demanding that Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra be dropped from the Cabinet over alleged irregularities in the tribal welfare corporation.
The current Monsoon Session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly began on August 13, 2026, and is scheduled to conclude on August 27, 2026. The BJP has disrupted proceedings since the commencement of the session, demanding Nagendra’s resignation.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Vijayendra said the BJP’s agitation would continue until the minister steps down. “Our protest demanding Nagendra’s resignation will continue. We will continue the agitation until he resigns. There is no question of withdrawing our protest,” he said.
He added that the BJP would intensify its agitation and stage an overnight dharna to press its demand for Nagendra’s removal.
Vijayendra also criticised the Cabinet’s decision to approve amendments allowing five per cent of the total land in government parks and gardens across Karnataka to be used for public and other essential purposes.
The BJP has opposed the proposed amendment, alleging that the Congress government was promoting real estate interests at the cost of public spaces. “This decision will make it clear to the people of Karnataka that this is a real estate government. The Congress is running the government only to promote real estate activities,” Vijayendra alleged.
He accused the state government of taking decisions to benefit the Congress high command at the expense of the people. “The Congress government in the state is doing everything to satisfy the high command. The AICC has turned Karnataka into an ATM,” he said.
Vijayendra further accused the government of taking decisions against the interests of the poor. He said the BJP and JD(S) had strongly opposed such decisions and would continue to raise their voice. “There is strong opposition to the government’s decision. The BJP and JD(S) condemn these anti‑people and anti‑poor decisions,” he said.
The BJP has stepped up its campaign against the Congress government over alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation and has repeatedly demanded Nagendra’s resignation.
Vijayendra said the party would continue its agitation until the government accepted its demand.
It can be recalled that the BJP staged a protest at Freedom Park today and attempted to lay siege to Vidhana Soudha, demanding Nagendra’s resignation over the alleged corruption.
BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Chief Whip of the Opposition in the Legislative Council N. Ravikumar, former Deputy Chief Minister and MLA C.N. Ashwathnarayan, former Minister B. Sriramulu, MLC C.T. Ravi, MLA Umanath Kottian, MLA and Bengaluru South district president C.K. Ramamurthy, MLC H.S. Gopinath Reddy, along with other party leaders and workers, participated in the protest.
