ED pressurised me to name CM, Deputy CM in Valmiki scam, alleges Cong MLA Nagendra
Bengaluru (PTI): Former Karnataka Minister B Nagendra, who walked out of the jail on Wednesday, alleged that he was pressurised by the ED to name Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar in the multi-crore scam in Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.
He also charged the ED (Directorate of Enforcement) with arresting him under pressure from the BJP as part of a conspiracy to destabilise the Congress government.
A special court here on Monday granted bail to the Congress MLA, who was arrested by the ED in connection with the scam.
"The BJP that is governing the country is conspiring to somehow destabilise the Congress governments wherever in power. For three months, I was harassed by the ED with the intention to destabilise our government. Despite no role of mine in the Valmiki scam, all of a sudden I was arrested. On pressure from the BJP central leaders, ED tried to destabilise the state government by arresting me," Nagendra said.
Speaking to reporters after being released from the jail, he said, he was pressured to name Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in connection with the scam.
"I rejected it saying that when my role itself is not there (in the scam), where is their (CM & DCM) role? Where is the government's role? There is no connection between the scam that has taken place in the bank and the government. Despite that, BJP both in the state and at the Centre conspired, as they have done in the 'MUDA' scam," he said.
Asked about the context where he was pressured to name the CM, the former minister said, "it was in connection with the Finance Department (held by the CM)."
"Without any written orders, without any orders money was transferred. At the time when there was a code of conduct (during Lok Sabha polls), bank officials without even checking KYC have done it. It is not a state government scam, it is a bank scam. Neither the chief minister nor I as the concerned minister was aware of it. Unnecessarily, ED is trying to link his (CM) name to it," he said.
Nagendra had resigned as the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister in June following allegations of his involvement in the scam.
The ED had recently said that Nagendra had been identified as the primary accused and mastermind behind the scam, allegedly orchestrating it with the help of 24 others.
The ED had in July arrested Nagendra under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and also five other key accused during the investigation.
"Only leaders of other parties like -- Kejriwal (former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal), Sisodia (Manish Sisodia), Kavitha (Telangana MLC and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader) -- are being arrested by the ED, but we have faith in the judiciary as it is in no one's clutches, that's the reason I have got bail today," the Congress leader said.
To a question on the Valmiki corporation money being used for the Lok Sabha and other election, Nagendra said the investigation is on. The SIT (constituted by the state government) has said that the money was not misused for election.
Asked if he would be made minister again, Nagendra said, it is left to the Congress high command, Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
"I have courage that as a common party worker I have saved the government. This fight won't end for any reason. The work towards rooting out the BJP will begin from Karnataka. We will show our courage by ensuring Congress' win in Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna by-polls," he said.
The ED had said its investigation revealed that under the influence of Nagendra, the account of the corporation was moved to the MG Road Branch (of bank) without any proper authorisation, where Rs 187 crore, including Rs. 43.33 crore from the State Treasury under the 'Ganga Kalyana Scheme', were deposited without following proper procedures and in violation of government guidelines.
"These funds were subsequently siphoned off through multiple shell accounts and converted into cash and bullion. ED investigation also revealed that an amount of Rs 20.19 crore of the diverted funds was used to support a candidate contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Bellary constituency, as well as for the personal expenses of B Nagendra," the federal probe agency added.
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Never called for closure of madrassas, Muslim children should get formal education: NCPCR
New Delhi, Oct 16: NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said he never called for the closure of madrassas but recommended state funding to these institutions be stopped as they are depriving poor Muslim children of education.
He said that Muslim children from improverished backgrounds are often pressured into religious schooling over secular education. We advocate for equitable educational opportunities for all children.
In a recent report, the apex child rights body, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) raised serious concerns about the state of functioning in madrassas and called for stopping the state funding unless they comply with the Right to Education Act.
The report received sharp reaction from political leaders, including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who blamed the ruling BJP for selectively targeting minority institutions. Kerala's Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) said it was the latest display of the communal agenda by the Union government and its agencies.
However, Kanoongo clarified that he never called for the closure of the madrassas.
"We never advocated for the closure of madrasas. Our stance is that while affluent families invest in religious and regular education, even children from impoverished backgrounds should be imparted that," he stated, emphasising the need for equitable educational opportunities for all children regardless of socioeconomic status. Responding to the functioning of the madrassas, Kanoongo criticised certain groups within the country for "fearing" the empowerment of the poor Muslim community.
"There exists a faction in our nation that dreads the empowerment of Muslims. Their fear stems from the anticipation that empowered communities will demand accountability and equal rights," he told PTI in an interview.
This, he suggested, is a primary reason behind the resistance to inclusive educational reforms.
Highlighting the government's responsibility, Kanoongo asserted, "It is the duty of the government to ensure that children receive normal education. The state cannot turn a blind eye to its obligations."
He pointed out that impoverished Muslim children are often pressured into religious schooling over secular education, undermining their prospects.
"Why do we constrain our poorest Muslim children to attend madrassas instead of schools? This policy shifts the burden unfairly onto them," Kanoongo remarked.
Reflecting on the historical policies, Kanoongo recalled the post-1950 constitutional mandate for universal education. "After the Constitution was implemented in 1950, Maulana Azad (India's first Education minister) visited madrassas in Uttar Pradesh and declared that Muslim children did not need to pursue higher education in schools and colleges. This led to a significant underrepresentation of Muslim students in higher education, currently hovering around five per cent," he noted.
In contrast, he highlighted the participation rates of other marginalized communities, suggesting that systemic biases have hindered Muslim students' academic achievements.
"Look at this situation: around 13 to 14 per cent of students in higher education are from Scheduled Castes (SC), and over 5 per cent are from Scheduled Tribes (ST). Combined, SC and ST students make up 20 per cent of the higher education population, while Other Backward Classes (OBC) account for 37 per cent while Muslims in higher education just remain 5 per cent," he said.
Kanoongo also criticised the past education ministers from the Muslim community, labelling them as "white elephants of misdeeds" for their roles in perpetuating educational disparities.
"These ministers stood in madrassas and discouraged Muslim children from pursuing regular education, effectively depriving them of their fundamental right to education," he said.
Going ahead, Kanoongo stressed the importance of integrating madrassa students into mainstream schools.
"We have recommended mapping unmapped madrassas and enrolling children into schools. While some states like Kerala have resisted, others like Gujarat have taken proactive steps. In Gujarat alone, over 50,000 children have been enrolled in schools despite facing violent opposition," he explained.
He remained optimistic and said, "In the next decade or so, these Muslim children will become doctors, engineers, and bankers, and they will validate our efforts."
Kanoongo highlighted the broader implications of empowering Muslim communities.
"Empowering Muslims means they will demand their rightful place in society, ensuring accountability and equality," he affirmed.
When asked about allegations that NCPCR is more vocal towards non BJP ruled states, he said "What happens is that whether you talk to Mamata ji, go to Karnataka and speak with Priyank Kharge or Siddaramaiah, or speak to Tamil Nadu’s Stalin government, they put allegations on us to hide their own wrongdoings, accusing us of political vendetta. You should read our reports. The difference is that if I speak with good intentions to BJP-ruled states, they accept our recommendations in good faith".
Kanoongo finishes two terms as NCPCR chairperson on Wednesday.
