Bengaluru: After losing Minority Development Minister B Nagendra for his alleged involvement in diverting Valmiki Development Corporation funds illegally during Parliamentary elections, the Congress government in Karnataka is forced to get resignation of Bovi Development Corporation Chairman Ravikumar.
After a video, where he was openly discussing his kickback with an official of the Corporation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked his close associate Ravi Kumar to resign, following which he tendered his resignation.
Bovi is one of the most backward communities in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, representing the people who worked with stone quarries. The Bovi Development Corporation oversees a number of government programs aimed at empowering the community. A video clipping of Ravikumar, having a conversation with the Corporation official was leaked, where he demanded his part of the cut for releasing the money.
In the video, Ravi Kumar clearly said that he had to be paid Rs five lakh for releasing Rs 25 lakh for the beneficiary. However, the official tried to say that the money had to be directly transferred to the accounts of the beneficiaries.
However, Chairman Ravikumar did not agree with the argument and said that his cut had to be collected. He told them that his `boys' would ensure that the money was collected from the beneficiaries and the money would be released only after his cut was collected.
Soon after the video was leaked, the entire Bovi community organisations protested against Ravi Kumar. Bovi Community Welfare Association President Dr Venkatesh Mourya even threatened to gherao the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, if Ravikumar was not removed immediately.
On Tuesday morning, Siddaramaiah directed Ravikumar to tender his resignation.
This is not the first time the Bovi Community Development Board is in controversy over corruption charges.
Between 2018-23, the then Director of the Corporation Leelavathi was accused of diverting Rs 97 crore funds from the Corporation in the name of her sister Manjula. The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Leelavati and her predecessor Nagaraj in that case.
With the resignation of Ravikumar, Siddaramaiah government has lost two Valmiki leaders -- B Nagendra and K N Rajanna, along with one Bovi leader.
