BELAGAVI : Amid the row over the alleged obscene video case involving NDA candidate and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna in Karnataka, the Congress party launched a fresh attack on Sunday, demanding answers to “10 questions” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
During a joint press conference along with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar in Belagavi, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that Prime Minister Modi and leaders of Janata Dal (Secular) were “protecting a mass rapist”.
Surjewala also claimed that Prime Minister Modi was “aware of the matter” but still allied with the JD(S).
“Our message in this case is clear and simple. Narendra Modi-ji and JD(S) leaders are protecting a mass rapist when the Prime Minister was aware that the candidate of his party and an ally is a serial abuser of thousands of women. A BJP leader in December 2023 approached PM Modi and Amit Shah with all the evidence,” Surjewala told reporters in Belagavi on Sunday.
Raising 10 questions of Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Shah, the Congress leader said, “Firstly, why did they join hands with the Janata Dal (Secular)? Secondly, why did they make him a candidate of the BJP and Janata Dal? Thirdly, why did PM Modi visit Hassan and raise his hands saying Prajwal Revanna’s win will give him more strength? The fourth question is why did Modi-ji, Amit Shah-ji, the BJP and JD(S) hide this truth about Prajwal Revanna even after knowing everything?
“Fifth, when Prajwal Revanna was trying to fly out of India, didn’t Modiji’s external affairs ministry or the passport control board know that a mass rapist is fleeing the country? Why did Modi-ji and Amit Shah-ji allow him to flee?”
“Sixth, the SIT wrote to the CBI and the Modi government on bringing him back wherever he is, why hasn’t Modi-ji or Amit Shah-ji responded to it? Seventh, the chief minister wrote to Modi-ji to cancel Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport, why hasn’t it been done yet? Eighth, our SIT wrote to the CBI, requesting it to ask Interpol to issue a blue-corner notice so that we know where he is. Why did Modiji not do this?”
“Ninth, if a mass rapist flees the country, who should take the onus of bringing him back? Is the state or the central government? If its the central government, then what has Modi-ji and Amit Shah-ji been doing other than accusing Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar? Why are they not telling the truth? Lastly why is Prime Minister Modi so afraid to question Prajwal Revanna? Answer these 10 questions,” Surjewala added.
Surjewala added that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sought justice for the victims and has written to the CM to ensure the same, while urging Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Shah to answer his “10 questions.”
Earlier, on Saturday evening, Janata Dal (Secular) party leader and Prajwal Revanna’s father, HD Revanna was taken into custody by Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials in Karnataka. The arrest is related to a kidnapping case filed against him at the KR Nagar police station in Bengaluru in connection with the alleged obscene video case.
Revanna was booked in the case on April 28 based on a complaint lodged at Holenarasipura Town police.
The case was registered under sections 354A, 354D, 506, and 509 of the IPC on charges of sexual harassment, intimidation, and outraging the dignity of a woman. As per the complaint, the victim claimed that Prajwal Revanna and his father HD Revanna had sexually assaulted her. A look out notice has been issued against Prajwal Revanna who is currently claimed to be in Germany.
Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of party supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
Speaking to ANI on Sunday about the arrest, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said, “The SIT have been doing things as per the procedure. I can’t disclose more than that as even I don’t have information regarding everything. Due to the seriousness of the case, we have constituted an SIT and have given full freedom to them to deliver justice.”
“A blue-corner notice has already been issued (to Prajwal Revanna). They’ll locate him wherever he is and after that, procedurally whatever is required, SIT will do that to bring him here” he added.
Dy CM DK Shivakumar declined to comment on the matter saying that the law will take its course.
“The law will take its course. We are in an election campaign and I don’t know what he said. I have not read about it. I have only looked at the newspaper and apart from that I don’t know,” Shivakumar said.
Speaking on the alleged obscene video case earlier this month, Amit Shah said that BJP stands with the ‘Matr Shakti’ while criticising the ruling Congress government in Karnataka for allegedly delaying action.
“BJP’s stand is clear that we stand with the ‘Matr Shakti’ of the country. I want to ask Congress and Priyanka ji who is demanding action, whose government is there? The government is of Congress Party. Why they have not taken any action till now? We do not have to take action on this as this is a law and order issue of the state, state government has to take action on it,” he said. (ANI)