Prajwal case: BJP & Cong fight over delayed action

BENGALURU: Even as a 21-member Special Investigation Team is ready to fan out across Karnataka to dig up truth in the sex video case allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, the big question is: Why did the Congress govt act after polling in South Karnataka (in which three members of the Gowda family, including Prajwal, contested) was done and dusted.
Given that the sex tapes were widely in circulation much before April 26 (day of polling) and the govt was aware of it, that they took action post voting, which allowed Prajwal to flee India, has raised eyebrows.The Hassan MP was suspended from JD(S) early Tuesday.
Former PM Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal is NDA candidate from Hassan, and his father HD Revanna is Holenarsipur MLA. Both have been named in an FIR in which a former housemaid accused the father-son duo of sexually harassing her and daughter.
This delayed action has led to a war of words between Congress and BJP, especially since BJP and JD(S) are allies for LS polls in which the junior partner is contesting from three seats. Priyanka Gandhi, in Kalaburagi on Monday, questioned PM Modi's silence on the issue. In response, Union home minister Amit Shah fastened the responsibility on the Congress-led state govt. "It is a very serious issue, and we cannot tolerate it. We want to ask why Congress, despite being in power in Karnataka, hasn't acted yet? Priyanka should ask CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar," he said.
Congress waiting for the first phase of voting to be over is attributed to political arithmetic. Congress, according to sources, did not want to alienate the Vokkaliga voters, who were dominant in Phase 1, especially given their antipathy to Kurubas. As Siddaramaiah is a Kuruba, it would have looked like a Kuruba CM had gone after the first family of Vokkaligas.
S ources said the govt could not have booked a case without a bona-fide complaint from victims. Shah insulated the Centre from any likely negative fallout, saying a law-and-order issue falls in the state’s domain and clarified the BJP “is in favour of investigations being conducted by SIT set up by the state govt”. Akhila Vidyasagar, core committee member of Karnataka Mahila Dourjanya Virodhi Okkoota, which submitted a memorandum to ECI and the women’s commission, said the govt should have been “swift” in action.
“The main question is why did the authorities remain mute spectators when the victims were airing their grievances in many fora... for more than a year now?” Deputy CM Shivakumar said they were aware of the clips for a long time, but the govt cannot unilaterally act and book a case in the absence of “a proper complaint from victims.
BJP functionaries are claiming that at the heart of the delayed govt action is Revanna’s friendly equations with politicians of all hues, including Congress. Union minister Pralhad Joshi alleged Prajwal was allowed to fly out after “an agreement between the CM and Revanna”. “To cover up its lapse, the state govt is blaming the Centre.”