Sexual assault: JD(S) suspends Prajwal
Dragged into the row over the horrifying case, BJP blames Cong for delay in taking action
BENGALURU/HUBBALLI: Faced with the unrelenting attack from the Congress and other political parties, and civil society, the JD(S) on Tuesday suspended its Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna from the party over allegations of sexual assault, as the political slugfest over the matter escalated with the BJP launching a counter-attack against the Congress for delayed action in the case by the Karnataka government.
Dragged into the controversy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other top BJP leaders questioned the government for delay in taking action despite being aware of the case for months.
Police on Sunday booked Prajwal Revanna and his father HD 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 HD Deve Gowda and nephew of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Finding it untenable to shield its Hassan candidate any more, the JD(S) suspended Prajwal, minutes after the party core committee that met in Hubballi recommended the action to national president Deve Gowda for causing “huge embarrassment to the party and its leadership”.
After the suspension, Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar engaged in a war of words over the allegations, with the JD(S) chief accusing Shivakumar of hatching the conspiracy of circulating the videos and then setting up the SIT.
“Bringing out the truth of the main accused is just one part of it. How was the pen drive circulated?... For what reason was it circulated and for how many months was the ‘great leader’ (Shivkumar) aware of it? These are the questions,” Kumaraswamy told reporters in Hubballi.
Reacting to Kumaraswamy’s allegation, Shivakumar said, “Kumaraswamy had said in the television interview that the BJP high command had cautioned him that he (Prajwal) is not good and think before giving him a ticket. He also said giving the ticket to Prajwal was his father Deve Gowda’s decision.”