Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar is behind Prajwal Revanna’s sex tape controversy, HD Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday, adding that he should be sacked. The former CM further accused Congress of “manipulating” tapes to “destroy Gowda family’s reputation”.
“What is the proof? Is Prajwal’s face seen in the videos? Still we will take action on moral grounds, Kumaraswamy added, hours before the JD(S) core committee meeting in Hubbali.
The former CM’s statement came minutes after Union home minister Amit Shah said the BJP favours a probe in the case and pointed out that their alliance partner JD(S) is also set to take a step at a party meeting.
“It is very serious, we cannot tolerate it. We want to ask Congress that despite being in power, why hasn’t the government acted yet? Priyanka (Gandhi Vadra) ji should ask their chief minister and deputy chief minister,” said Shah.
Speaking to reporters in the morning, Shah said the BJP stand is clear on the issue — that it is with the “matrushakti” (mothers or women).
“The BJP’s stand is clear that we stand with the ‘matrushakti’ of the country. I want to ask Congress, whose government is there? The government is of Congress party. Why they have not taken any action till now? We do not have to take action on this as this is a law and order issue of the state, state government has to take action on it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women issued a statement on Tuesday, strongly condemning the alleged sexual abuse involving Prajwal Revanna.
“These events endanger women’s safety and perpetuate a culture of violence. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma has taken suo motu cognisance in this matter and has sent a letter to DGP Karnataka demanding a swift action from authorities to apprehend the accused and submit a detailed report within three days,” the statement read.
Prajwal Revanna, sitting member of Lok Sabha from Hassan in Karnataka, is the grandson of former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch H D Deve Gowda. He was the only JD (S) leader to win in 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Hassan, a family political borough.
Prajwal’s father HD Revanna, eldest son of Deve Gowda, was minister in the cabinet led by his younger brother H D Kumaraswamy, who headed the Congress-JD (S) alliance government, in 2018-19.
What is Prajwal Revanna ‘Sex Scandal’
Thousands of pen drives allegedly having his sexual assault videos were circulated in Hassan, the Lok Sabha constituency from where Prajwal is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-JD (S) candidate. Hassan went to the polls on April 26.
Most of the tapes were allegedly recorded by Prajwal on his mobile phone. These were then transferred to his laptop. Most of the tapes are said to be shot in his house and office.
A case of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation was registered on Sunday against the father-son duo — Revanna along with Prajwal Revanna — at the Holenarasipur police station in the Hassan district based on a complaint by a woman who worked in their household.
“Whenever (HD) Revanna’s wife wasn’t there, he used to call the women to the storeroom and touch them while giving them fruits. He used to remove saree pins and sexually assault women,” the complainant said.
According to the Karnataka police, a pen drive circulated among people in Hassan had 2,976 videos, some with a duration of a few seconds and some with a few minutes.
Although Prajwal claimed that the videos were doctored, he left for Frankfurt on the day the state police constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe sexual assault charges against him.
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