Valmiki scam: Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigns; breaks down on camera - The Times of India

**Karnataka Minister B. Nagendra Resigns Amid Valmiki Scam, Breaks Down on Camera**

B. Nagendra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister in charge of Animal Husbandry and Sericulture in the Karnataka cabinet, tendered his resignation on Thursday after the Times of India obtained footage of him visibly shaking and tearful as he announced the decision. In a brief press conference, Nagendra said he could no longer stay in the ministry “without becoming a source of embarrassment” to the party and the government. The resignation comes as the state’s anti‑corruption bureau intensifies its probe into the so‑called Valmiki scam, which alleges that funds earmarked for welfare projects for the Valmiki community were siphoned off through a network of shell companies linked to officials close to the minister.

The Valmiki scam first erupted in early 2023 when a series of irregularities were flagged in the allocation of a ₹150 crore development scheme meant to uplift the Valmiki Scheduled Caste community in Karnataka’s northern districts. Investigators found that several contracts were awarded without competitive bidding, and that a sizable portion of the money never reached the intended beneficiaries. Nagendra, who had been appointed minister in the BJP‑led coalition government in 2023, resigned for the first time in August 2023 after a preliminary inquiry implicated his close aides. The current resignation marks his second departure over the same controversy, a rare occurrence that underscores the depth of the allegations.

Political leaders across the spectrum reacted swiftly. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai accepted the resignation, stating that “the integrity of the administration must be preserved,” while urging a thorough and transparent investigation. Opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), seized on the development to demand a full probe and called for the dismissal of any officials found complicit. Nagendra, in his emotional address, also lambasted “Manuvadi” elements he claimed were exploiting caste sentiments for political gain, a remark that sparked debate about the intersection of caste politics and governance in the state.