R. Ashoka alleges misuse of Valmiki Corporation funds by Cong, demands Minister’s resignation
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, has accused the Congress government of misappropriating funds belonging to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Ashoka has demanded the resignation of Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B. Nagendra by June 6, threatening state-wide protests if the minister does not step down.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday, Ashoka declared that the BJP would initiate state-wide protests with banners stating “Congress swallowed the money of Dalits” if Minister Nagendra fails to resign. He emphasized that the Congress government, which he accused of looting Dalit funds, would soon be removed from power.
Ashoka's allegations stem from a suicide note left by Chandrashekhar, an officer of the Valmiki Development Corporation, who recently died by suicide. In his note, Chandrashekhar allegedly claimed that Minister Nagendra had verbally instructed him to transfer the corporation's funds. The note also named other officials, including G. Padmanabh and Suja, and provided details about the alleged scam.
ALSO READ: Illegal money transfer case: Sack Minister Nagendra, handover probe to CBI, says K'taka BJP chief
During the press conference, Ashoka also criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's promise of quick monetary deposits into women's accounts. Instead, Ashoka claimed, funds were rapidly transferred to accounts controlled by Congress members, resulting in a loss of Rs 25,000 crore meant for Dalits. He further accused the Congress of encouraging terrorism and highlighted the lack of safety for officials and women in the state.
Ashoka also referenced previous incidents involving BJP leaders, noting that the Congress had demanded severe actions, including murder charges, against BJP leaders such as K.S. Eshwarappa when allegations were made against them. He called for similar strict actions against Minister Nagendra, including the filing of a murder case, as his name was mentioned in Chandrashekhar’s death note.
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
