Bengaluru:The Congress and the BJP in Karnataka continued to spar over the alleged sex video scandal involving JD-S leader Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister and H.D. Deve Gowda, ahead of the third phase of Lok Sabha polls to be held on May 7.
On Tuesday morning, the JD-S suspended Prajwal Revanna, the sitting party MP and Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, after the Congress government in Karnataka formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe allegations of sexual abuse against him.
Speaking to the media in Hubballi, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi questioned the state government for not lodging an FIR against Prajwal Revanna immediately after the alleged scandal came to light.
“People are saying there is an internal adjustment between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and H.D. Reavanna (JD-S MLA and father of Prajwal Reavanna). The Congress is resorting to levelling allegations with utter irresponsibility," he said.
"The police should have filed the FIR immediately... Why did the police let him fly off to a foreign country. The state government is trying to pass the blame on the Centre," Joshi said.
The Minister also said that JD-S is an independent party, which has now expelled Prajwal Revanna.
"There is no opposition from the BJP to the action taken by the JD-S in this regard. Former CM and JD-S state unit chief H.D. Kumaraswamy has said that those who commit crime must be punished. Neither the JD-S nor the BJP are opposed to the expulsion of Prajwal Revanna," he said.
Joshi also slammed the Congress for alleging that the BJP is helping Prajwal Revanna to go into hiding.
"Allegations should not be levelled with an ulterior motive. The case has become more sensitive since Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda. If he has made a mistake, he should be punished as per the law," the Union Minister said.
Meanwhile, the Congress candidate from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency, D.K. Suresh, who's the brother of Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, told the media in Kanakapura that the case involving Prajwal Revanna is not only an insult to the Deve Gowda family, but to the entire state.
"This is an insult to Kannada people. The scandal needs to be condemned by all. A complaint has been lodged against Prajwal Revanna, who's an NDA candidate, and there should be an impartial probe against him. The victims must be protected by the state women’s commission," he stated.
"After coming to know about the case, the Deve Gowda family tried to hush up the matter. Attempts were also made to threaten the victims. We have to wait and see what advice the former Prime Minister will give now,” he said.
Meanwhile, Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan said that an SIT has been formed to probe the matter and nothing could be said at this stage as the investigation is underway.