Prajwal Revanna ‘Sexual Assault’ Case

Prajwal Revanna ‘Sexual Assault’ Case

KAKALI DAS

This seems to be one of the most appalling instances in Indian politics in recent memory.

While the Indian media is downplaying it as a mere sex scandal, the reality is far more sinister, involving multiple sexual assaults, instances of sexual harassment, and potentially even rape.

Imagine this: a man in his early thirties appears in nearly 3,000 videos, engaging in harassment and, in some instances, sexual assault against women much older than himself. It’s plausible to argue that the entire town was aware of these actions.

In the latest development regarding the Prajwal Revanna case, a former Zilla Panchayat member in her forties has filed another case. She alleges that for over three years, Prajwal Revanna repeatedly raped her, recorded the acts on his phone, and used the recordings to blackmail her into further assaults. The FIR has been registered by the CID, which is now investigating the matter.

“In January 2024, during another television interview, Devaraj Gowda revealed that numerous women, married, unmarried, elderly had approached him to complain about how Prajwal Revanna had subjected them to abuse, causing significant harm to their lives.“

Prajwal Revanna is now booked under sections, 376 (2) (commits rape repeatedly on same women), 354(a) (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 354(b) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354(c) (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code, and section 66(e) (violation of privacy) of Information Technology Act.

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The woman has alleged that she had to regularly meet the MP and the MLA to request funds and get work done. On one occasion, he reportedly took her into a room, forced her to undress, raped her, filmed the assault, and then utilized the video to continue assaulting her repeatedly.

In a new development, a 20-year-old man has lodged a complaint stating that his mother, one of the women featured in those videos, has gone missing. The police have now registered a complaint regarding her disappearance.

Who is Prajwal Revanna?

Prajwal Revanna’s family is deeply entrenched in politics, with his grandfather being H. D. Deve Gowda, a former Chief Minister and Prime Minister of India, now nearing 91 years old. Despite his age, the media often portrays him as sharp and astute.

Deve Gowda entered politics at the young age of 20 and has been a prominent figure ever since. He first won the State Assembly seat from Hassan, Karnataka, in 1962, a city where his grandson Prajwal is currently contesting.

Deve Gowda held the Hassan seat for three terms before becoming Chief Minister in 1994 and eventually serving as the 11th Prime Minister of India in 1996. Despite the controversies surrounding his family, Deve Gowda remains a highly respected and influential leader in Karnataka, wielding considerable power.

H. D. Deve Gowda has two sons: the elder, H. D. Revanna, and the younger, H. D. Kumaraswami. Revanna has held the Hassan seat in the State Assembly for an extensive period and is currently facing allegations of sexual harassment.

Kumaraswamy, the younger son, has also inherited the family’s political legacy, serving as a two-time Chief Minister. Currently, he is contesting from Mandya in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Both Prajwal Revanna and H. D. Kumaraswamy are contesting from Hassan and Mandya respectively, in alliance with the BJP.

Prajwal Revanna holds significant political lineage as the grandson of a former Prime Minister, the nephew of a former Chief Minister, and the son of a current sitting MLA. As a sitting MP himself, he wields considerable power in Hassan, where his family maintains a strong grip on politics.

This political dynasty thrives on opportunism, wielding significant influence over the Vokkaliga vote in Karnataka, particularly in the Hassan region, where they consistently secure several seats.

Over time, they have alternated between forming governments with both the BJP and the Congress, showcasing their opportunistic approach to politics. Currently, the family is aligned with the Prime Minister and in alliance with the BJP.

Prajwal Revanna, the primary accused in the case, holds significant power and connections. So much so that the Prime Minister personally flew down to Hassan to campaign for him, urging voters to support his candidacy.

The Leaked Videos

Three days before the actual voting took place, Hassan was flooded with pen drives scattered everywhere – on public bus seats, in garbage dumps, and practically everywhere you looked.

Upon plugging in these pen drives, nearly 3,000 videos surfaced, showcasing Prajwal Revanna engaging in abusive, harassing, disrobing, and inappropriate behavior, clearly depicting criminal actions against women.

This triggered a scandal that reverberated across the board. Numerous women’s organizations united and formally wrote to the State Commission for Women, the Chief Minister, and the police, urging them to file cases in response.

In these videos, which quickly went viral on WhatsApp, the recognizable victims include domestic workers from their household and government employees who needed to meet Prajwal Revanna due to his role as a Member of Parliament. These individuals were subjected to constant abuse by him.

The women were too frightened to approach the police and file complaints due to the immense power wielded by this man. On April 24th, a coalition of women’s organizations banded together and penned a letter to the Women’s Commission, prompting subsequent correspondence to both the Chief Minister and the police.

By April 27th, the Chief Minister announced the formation of a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the incident. Undoubtedly, political pressure loomed large over the case.

Who leaked the videos and Why?

Devaraj Gowda is a member of the BJP who has consistently contested from Hassan, albeit losing to the Gowda family on multiple occasions. He had hoped to secure the ticket for Hassan in this election from the BJP, but the party formed an alliance with the JDS, resulting in the ticket being awarded to Prajwal Revanna instead.

In September, 2023, this individual delivered a televised interview in which he said, “What is this Revanna talking? Women is not safe in his own home. Everybody knows that a woman who goes into his home will be abused.” This marked the initial mention of Revanna’s misconduct.

In December 2023, Devraj Gowda reportedly penned letters to the General Secretary and State President of the BJP, disclosing the receipt of a pen drive containing 2,976 videos depicting women being abused by Prajwal Revanna.

He cautioned that local Congress leaders also possessed access to this pen drive and were awaiting an opportune moment to exploit it.

Gowda warned the BJP that aligning with this family, particularly endorsing Prajwal Revanna as a candidate, would bring national embarrassment. However, the letter was ultimately disregarded. The BJP proceeded to form an alliance with the JDS and granted the accused a ticket, with even the Prime Minister campaigning on his behalf.

In January 2024, during another television interview, Devaraj Gowda revealed that numerous women, married, unmarried, elderly had approached him to complain about how Prajwal Revanna had subjected them to abuse, causing significant harm to their lives.

The reason these videos were made viral is because of a dispute between Prajwal Revanna and his driver, who had worked with him for seven years. Following their altercation and the driver’s departure, he allegedly took copies of all these videos from Prajwal’s phone. The driver has now released a video to the media, detailing how he was harassed and how the Gowda family, including Prajwal Revanna, allegedly kidnapped his wife. Seeking assistance, he turned to Devaraj Gowda, who, as a lawyer and opposition politician, offered support.

It’s probable that Devaraj Gowda, while assisting the driver, came into possession of these videos. Subsequently, the videos went viral prior to the commencement of voting.

If these videos had been available since last year, why didn’t the media report on them?

In June 2023, Revanna filed a case in a civil court in Bangalore and obtained a gag order, preventing 86 media organizations and 3 individuals from using or publishing any of these visuals, which he claimed were morphed to embarrass him. As a result, the media was unable to report on this matter. However, it appears that everyone involved was already aware of these abuses.

Where is Prajwal Revanna now?

The SIT has issued a lookout circular for Prajwal Revanna as he has failed to appear before investigators to answer questions.

Prajwal Revanna has left the country and travelled to Germany immediately after the voting concluded. However, his family has countered this claim, stating that he has not fled but is merely taking a break following his gruelling campaign trail, and they expect him to return soon.

What are the BJP’s statements on this matter?

The BJP has asserted that they were not previously aware of the abuses and harassments attributed to Prajwal Revanna. Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that the BJP does not tolerate any form of abuse against women.

However, it’s worth noting the case of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former MP accused of molestation, who retained his position until his term expired. Furthermore, his ticket has now been passed on to his son. (slow claps)

However, the BJP repeatedly questioned why the Congress had not taken any action on the matter so far.

In response, Priyanka Gandhi targeted the BJP, questioning why they are seemingly aware of her travels abroad each time, yet claim ignorance when it comes to the departure of an alleged abuser from the country.

Was the Gowda family aware of these assaults?

According to reporters, it seems that everyone in Hassan was aware of the situation. The driver, household workers, government officials – all seemed to have knowledge about the assaults.

At this time, it’s difficult to believe that the Gowda family was unaware of the situation. They opted to turn a blind eye to it.

Were the top leaders of the BJP aware?

Considering that Devaraj Gowda wrote a letter to the National General Secretary of the BJP, and knowing that the party meticulously selects candidates based on their winnability, it seems improbable that the top leaders of the BJP were unaware of Prajwal Revanna’s situation.

Moreover, the JDS has suspended Prajwal Revanna, indicating that even if he secures the Hassan seat, it won’t contribute to the NDA’s tally, as he would be contesting as an independent candidate.

Did the Congress know?

There is ample evidence to suggest that the Congress party may have also been in possession of these videos, potentially waiting for the right moment to release them—after the Prime Minister’s campaign, after the accused had stood as a candidate, and just before the voting—to maximize the damage.

Note

The question that we, as citizens, must ask is: Politically, yes, it might have served your purpose, but what about the well-being of all the women involved? Allowing these heinous crimes to persist for so long raises serious concerns about the women’s safety and justice.

Truly, when it comes to the position of women as far as politics is concerned in this country, our significance or importance is not very high, except when it comes to seeking our votes.

08-05-2024

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