SHIVAMOGGA/BENGALURU: Janata Dal (Secular) has decided to suspend its Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna from the party. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing allegations of his sexual abuse of several women, explicit videos of which have been making the rounds for the past few days.
Prajwal, a JDS candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, and his father HD Revanna, a former minister, have been named in the FIR.
Former CM and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy told media persons in Shivamogga that a decision to suspend Prajwal has already been made and it will be recommended at the party core committee meeting in Hubballi on Tuesday.
The former CM said that since Prajwal is a Member of Parliament, it has to be done from Delhi and he has requested JDS national president HD Deve Gowda to take necessary action. “Neither he (Gowda) nor I was aware of this issue,” he said.
He clarified that it was an individual issue and not a family issue. “Their (Revanna’s) family is separate and our (his family and PM Deve Gowda’s) family is separate. If he (Prajwal) is guilty, he has to be punished,” he said.
We do not live under the same roof, says HDK
Kumaraswamy said the state government has already constituted an SIT to probe the case, but hinted at some foul play surrounding the videos by pointing out that the videos on pen drives came out just three days before the elections.
Earlier on Monday in Bengaluru, he said the development has embarrassed not just him, but entire society. “Do not drag the entire Deve Gowda family into it. We do not live under the same roof,” he said.
Meanwhile, JDS legislators are demanding action against the accused MP. JDS MLA from Mulbagal, Samruddi Manjunath, demanded Prajwal’s expulsion. “After the incident was aired over news channels, JDS workers were embarrassed to face questions from the media. As a JDS MLA, I am feeling so embarrassed, one can imagine the party workers’ condition,” he said in a series of posts on X.
He said JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy should take suitable action now. He asked party leaders what is important for them, whether the political future of 19 JDS MLAs or their family members, including HD Revanna and his son Prajwal Revanna. “It is high time, party leaders expelled him from the party,” he demanded.
In a letter to Deve Gowda, another JDS MLA Sharan Gowda Kandakur too demanded Prajwal’s expulsion. That would save the party from further embarrassment, he added. Kandakur stated that for the last 60 years, Gowda has emerged as a role model in politics. “You have built the party based on ideology.
Our party symbol itself is a woman carrying paddy and this shows your respect towards women. The state government has already constituted the SIT. We are part of NDA and this incident should not impact upcoming polls in Karnataka,” he said. Fourteen Lok Sabha constituencies in northern Karnataka and parts of the state’s coastal region will vote on May 7, which will be the thirds phase of the polls.
SIT likely to summon Revanna
Bengaluru: The SIT investigating the sexual assault case gathered information from five women, who were allegedly harassed by JDS MLA HD Revanna and his MP son Prajwal Revanna. It is also likely that the SIT will serve notice to Revanna, asking him to appear for inquiry, soon