JD(S) suspends MP Prajwal Revanna from party over alleged sex scandal
NEW DELHI, April 30: The BJP on Tuesday 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.
Union 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.
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. Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and nephew of former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.
A day after the Congress tore into the BJP over the allegations against the leader of its ally JD(S) in Karnataka, Shah hit back, asking, “Whose government is there in that state.” Addressing 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.
The home minister said Congress has been alleging that an NDA partner’s candidate is involved in the incident, “but I just want to ask a small question – whose government is there in that state (Karnataka)?”
“The Congress is in power in Karnataka, and this matter must have come to their attention. Why has it not taken any action on it so far? We cannot take any action as law and order is a state issue,” Shah said.
In Delhi, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar told reporters that the BJP has zero tolerance towards crimes against women, while accusing the Congress of double standards and being selective on the issue.
If the Congress government in Karnataka was aware of the case for weeks and months, then why did it not act so far against the accused, he asked.
The JD(S) on Tuesday suspended its Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna over the alleged sex scandal.
“We are glad… The law will take its course,” Chandrasekhar said on the suspension, asserting that the BJP “will push for the full might of law against the accused”.
Citing the Sandeshkhali case and the killing of Neha Hiremath, daughter of a Congress leader, in Karnataka, he accused the Congress of seeking to selectively pick crimes and victims to speak on.
JD(S) suspends MP Prajwal Revanna
JD(S) on Tuesday suspended its Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna from the party with immediate effect over an alleged sex scandal involving him.
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 Revanna’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.”
The suspension order, signed by party General Secretary K R Shivakumar, was released to the media following approval from the JD(S) national President.
Congress worker stage protest
Eleven Congress workers were taken into preventive custody on Tuesday following an altercation between them and JD(S) cadres here in connection with the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, police said.
The Congress workers staged a protest in front of Denissons Hotel where the core-committee meeting of the JD(S) party was held to recommend the suspension of Prajwal Revanna from the party. The JD(S) cadres, who were also present there, raised slogans against the Congress government for allegedly leaking the videos and degrading the dignity of women, police said.
Tense moments prevailed outside the hotel and police had to intervene to bring the situation under control.
“Immediately, we made preventive arrest of the protesters and cleared them from the scene. Around 11 Congress workers were taken into preventive custody and the situation was brought under control,” a senior police officer said. (PTI)