Bengaluru, May 30 : Karnataka Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka on Thursday said that the Minister for Youth Empowerment, Sports, and Scheduled Tribe Welfare, B. Nagendra, must resign by June 6 in connection with the tribal corporation employee death case or BJP would launch a statewide agitation.

Talking to reporters, R. Ashoka said that the officer who committed suicide claimed in his death note that Minister Nagendra had given oral instructions for money transfer.

"The Congress government, which is looting the money of Dalits, will be shown the door soon. This agitation will be taken to its logical end. This government only wants to gallop Rs 187 crore which is reserved for the development of Scheduled Tribes,' he said.

He said that the Congress was chanting the mantra of Dalits before the election but after the election, they have only exploited them.

'A murder case must be lodged against Minister Nagendra,' he said.

Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to clarify his stand on the suicide of an officer of the Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

He said that during the BJP regime, the then minister K.S.Eshwarappa was not at fault in the contractor suicide case but he owned moral responsibility and resigned.

Responding to allegations, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar said there is no question of protecting the culprits of the Valmiki Development Corporation scam.

'Strict action would be initiated against those who are responsible for the embezzlement of funds in Valmiki Development Corporation. There is absolutely no question of protecting the perpetrators,' the Deputy Chief Minister said.

He said that the Chief Minister has taken this case seriously and the government is investigating the allegations.

'An FIR has been lodged and the Managing Director has been suspended. If the allegations are proven, we will take strict action against all those involved,' the Deputy Chief Minister said.

/IANS