The Union minister also accused the Congress dispensation of trying to put the blame on the Centre and playing politics on the issue.
Pralhad Joshi. (Supplied)
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday, 23 May, said there is a process to cancel the diplomatic passport of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually harassing several women, and asserted that the Union government is ready to cooperate in bringing him back to the country.
Hitting out at the state government, he questioned why they did not file a case and detain Prajwal before he left for abroad. The Union minister also accused the Congress dispensation of trying to put the blame on the Union government and playing politics on the issue.
Joshi was reacting to a question on Chief Minister Siddarmaiah writing a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take “prompt and necessary” actions to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal.
“There is a process to cancel diplomatic passports…so far Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar (Deputy CM) and Parameshwara (Home Minister) have not responded to my question.
“The first pen drive containing clipping (explicit clippings involving Prajwal) came out on 21 April and Prajwal Revanna left for abroad on 27 April. Were they guarding donkeys for seven days? Why didn’t you file an FIR and detain him?” Joshi asked.
Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, he said, “There is a process to get him (Prajwal) back from abroad and the Government of India is ready to extend cooperation to the state government by following necessary processes in accordance with law.”
Joshi further said, “But this thing that as soon as we (CM or state govt) write things should happen, or else put the blame on BJP (is not right). They (state govt) did not take action in the pen drive case until the first phase of polls were over (on 26 April) with an eye on Vokkkaliga votes. Now they are trying to put the blame on the Centre.”
This is a serious case and Prajwal has to face the probe and will have to face punishment if found guilty. There is no question about it, he said, adding, “But the Karnataka government, more than probe, is trying to do politics in this case.”
Siddaramaiah in his letter to Prime Minister Modi (dated 22 May) said it is “disheartening” that his previous letter regarding cancelling Prajwal’s diplomatic passport, has not been acted upon, despite the gravity of the situation.
The chief minister had earlier on 1 May written to Modi urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is processing a request of the Karnataka government seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport of Prajwal.
Official sources said that the MEA has received a letter from the Karnataka government seeking the revocation of Prajwal’s diplomatic passport.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and is the NDA’s candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on 27 April, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. A ‘Blue Corner Notice’ seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the CBI.
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on 18 May against Prajwal, following an application moved by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
Jun 16, 2024
Jun 16, 2024
Jun 16, 2024
Jun 16, 2024
Jun 15, 2024
Jun 15, 2024
