BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister and JDS chief H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday made a scathing attack on senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for stating that Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna had allegedly raped over 400 women, including minors, and referring to him as “mass rapist”.
“DCM DK Shivakumar is allegedly responsible for distributing the pen drive containing sleazy videos, and should be suspended from the cabinet as he doesn’t deserve that post,” he urged. He said he would approach Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, seeking a judicial probe into the case, and also anticipates the court will hand over the case to the CBI.
Coming down heavily on Rahul Gandhi, Kumaraswamy at a marathon press conference taunted that Gandhi had seen the videos and got statistics and information on the pen drive before anyone else. “Rahul Gandhi said that among the rape victims were girls under 16 years of age. On what basis did he make this statement? He has insisted that cases be filed under the Pocso Act. Why has notice not been given to Rahul Gandhi,” he questioned.
He claimed that Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had allegedly conspired and released the pen drive and blamed them for ruining the dignity of the state, besides “mortgaging the dignity of the women (victims).”
‘Cong lost sleep over alliance’
Kumaraswamy was replying to Gandhi’s reported statement at an election rally in Shivamogga, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that “Prajwal Revanna rapes 400 women and makes vidoes. This is not a sex scandal but rape, but the Prime Minister campaigned for him (Prajwal). Every woman should know that when the PM sought votes, he knew what Prajwal did and so did all BJP leaders, yet they backed Prajwal”.
“Why are you dragging the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah into this? You lost your sleep when JDS forged an alliance with BJP, which is why this case has been blown up into national and international news. Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said financial compensation will be given to the victims,” he said. “Congress leaders sat with the pen drive and Surjewala himself ticked which video should be released first and which later. Now, you are speaking of compensation to the victims?”
Terming the Special Investigation Team (SIT) “Siddaramaiah Investigation Team and Shivakumar Investigation Team”, he said it is a “puppet of CM Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar”, and wanted to know why Naveen Gowda, an aide of a Karnataka minister, Karthik, Prajwal’s driver, and Puttaswamy, alias Putty, a habitual offender, have not been arrested yet.
He clarified that he is not worried whether the JDS-BJP alliance will continue or not, and said it is up to the BJP to take a call.
Congress leaders ‘planting victims’, says Kumaraswamy
Kumaraswamy alleged that CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar have been “planting” victims in connection with Prajwal Revanna’s alleged sex scandal case. He claimed the “victims” had been terrorised into lodging complaints against Prajwal and his father Revanna.
“A former ZP member lodged a complaint on April 28 that she was raped (by Prajwal) at gun-point for several years. But the woman shared the stage with the accused (Prajwal) on April 22 during a campaign,” he pointed out.
Kumaraswamy expressed doubts about another victim being allegedly kidnapped by HD Revanna, and rescued by police from a farmhouse. “It is a different story and I will reveal more about it later,” he said. He clarified that he was not defending Prajwal, but only wants a fair probe into the case. “It is the duty of the government to secure Prajwal from wherever he is,” he replied to a query.