The Congress in Karnataka on Monday launched a scathing attack against the BJP-JD(S) alliance after an alleged sex scandal involving former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna.
However, Prajwal's father and JD(S) MLA, H.D. Revanna, said that his son would appear for an SIT probe whenever he is asked to.
Earlier on Monday in Belagavi, Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said: "Prajwal Revanna had unleashed brutality on 300 to 400 women. It is not feasible to remember the count. The victims belong to the age group of 16 to 50 years. Maids and police officers are the victims. It is not known whether the atrocity was committed on the victims after issuing threats. The accused is a pervert sexual offender."
H.D. Revanna is the main accused in the latest FIR lodged by the police and his son and the NDA candidate from Hassan Parliamentary seat, Prajwal Revanna, has been named as the second accused.
"I am getting phone calls from abroad. Why are BJP leaders tight-lipped? Don't they see the plight of women?" Minister Hebbalkar added.
"By pretensions, they (BJP and JD-S) want to hush up the case," she said.
Opposition leader R. Ashoka said the JD(S) must be asked about the sex scandal involving Deve Gowda's grandson.
"The Prime Minister did not speak about it (sex scandal), the accused was made to sit next to him. I am not doing any politics here. I am raising my voice as the Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister," Hebbalkar added.
Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's son Mrinal Hebbalkar is the Congress candidate from the Belagavi Parliamentary constituency, who is pitted against former Chief Minister and BJP candidate Jagadish Shettar.
Meanwhile, H.D. Revanna, the father of the accused Prajwal Revanna, said on Monday that no matter where his son is, he will appear for an inquiry if the SIT issues a summons to him.
Prajwal flew abroad when he did not know that an FIR was lodged against him.
"For four decades the Congress has been pursuing hatred towards the Deve Gowda family. This is not new for our family. The probe was conducted by central agencies like the CID and CBI against our family," H.D. Revanna added.
Refusing to comment on the FIR filed against him of sexual harassment and his son's alleged sex scandal, his comments would be not proper when the SIT is conducting the probe.
Former Chief Minister and State JD(S) President, H.D. Kumaraswamy, said in Shivamogga that there is a conspiracy behind the circulation of alleged sex videos involving Prajwal Revanna.
"Who released them (the sex videos)? They were released three days before the Lok Sabha election. Why was it not released before if they (the victims) wanted justice? Kumaraswamy asked.
"The Karnataka government has formed an SIT, let it conduct a probe and find out the truth," he said.
When asked about the whereabouts of Prajwal Revanna, Kumaraswamy angrily said that how would he know where he is?
"If Prajwal Revanna is guilty, JD(S) would initiate stringent action against him," he added.
© 2024 IANS. All rights reserved.