JD(S) on Tuesday suspended its Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna from the party with immediate effect over an alleged sex scandal involving him. Prajwal is the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s candidate from Hassan, which went to the polls in the second phase on Friday.
While Home Minister Amit Shah sought to know why the Congress Government in the State did not take any action against Prajwal for alleged sexual abuse of women, the National Commission for Women sought a report within three days from the Karnataka police over allegations of sexual abuse involving Prajwal. The 33-year-old is the son of HD Deve Gowda’s elder son HD Revanna, who is an MLA and a former Minister. Prajwal’s uncle H D Kumaraswamy is State president of JD(S).
The suspension came minutes after the party core committee that met in Hubballi recommended his suspension to its national president and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who is also Prajwal ‘s grandfather. “Videos of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna allegedly harassing women are widely in circulation on social media and media and this has caused huge embarrassment to the party and its leadership,”the suspension order said.
Stating that the Congress government in Karnataka has constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate this, it said, “In this backdrop, as per JD(S)’ party constitution and rules regarding breach of discipline and punishment, Prajwal Revanna has been suspended with immediate effect.”
Some explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna were circulated in Hassan over the last few days. Police on Sunday booked Prajwal Revanna and his father H D Revanna on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household.
BJP welcomed the JD(S) decision to suspend MP Prajwal Revanna over allegations of sexual abuse, asserting that it will push for the full might of law against him, and launched a fierce counter-attack on Congress for “delayed”action by the Karnataka Government.
Home Minister Amit Shah and other top BJP leaders questioned the Congress government in Karnataka as to why it did not take action against Prajwal when law and order is a state subject.
Shah asserted that the BJP will not tolerate any insult to women and said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is “questioning us (BJP) but I want to tell her that instead of asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi or me, she should ask her party’s chief minister”. “What is the Karnataka government doing? Why is there no inquiry? We are in favour of a probe, and the JD(S) has also announced that action will be taken against Revanna,”Shah said at a Press conference in Guwahati.
Shah said the issue regarding Revanna reported in the media “is very hurtful and cannot be tolerated in any way”. “The BJP’s stand is very clear; we will not tolerate any insult to ‘matri aur nari shakti’,”he asserted.
In a letter to Karnataka DGP, the NCW drew attention to the matter following the circulation of several explicit video clips on social media platforms depicting Revanna allegedly engaged in acts of sexual abuse against multiple women. The commission urged prompt and decisive action to apprehend the accused, who is reported to have fled the country. “Such events not only endanger women’s safety but also foster a culture of disrespect and violence against them. We urge prompt and decisive action from the concerned Police Authority to swiftly apprehend the accused, who has fled the country,” it said.
