Former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of silence regarding the alleged scandal involving JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna. Yadav criticized Modi's response, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations which involve the exploitation of approximately 2,500 women. Yadav's remarks came in the wake of the controversy surrounding Revanna, who is accused of being involved in an "obscene video" case and is currently reported as absconding, with rumors suggesting he has fled the country. In his statement, Yadav questioned the efficacy of Modi's touted "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" initiative in light of the scandal, emphasizing the apparent contradiction between the PM's slogans and the unfolding events.
The sex video case came to light after several video clips, allegedly involving Prajwal sexually abusing hundreds of women, circulated on social media in recent days. The Karnataka MP has been booked in a sexual harassment case based on complaints from his former house help. A case has also been registered against his father, HD Revanna. Police lodged cases under 354A, 354D, 506, and 509 of the IPC on charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the dignity of a woman. The complainant alleged that both HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna sexually assaulted her. Prajwal, nephew of Kumaraswamy and grandson of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, is the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate for the Lok Sabha election from Hassan constituency, which took place on Friday, April 26. Prajwal left for Germany on Saturday morning.
The Karnataka government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to look into the obscene videos case. BJP Leader Devaraje Gowda, who was the party's Holenarsipura candidate during the 2023 Assembly elections, has now claimed that had written to then state president BY Vijayendra in December last year, flagging "grave allegations" against the HD Deve Gowda family, including Prajwal Revanna. He claimed that he had received a pen drive containing 2,976 explicit videos of women - which were then being used to blackmail them into continuing to engage in sexual activities. "If we align with the JD(S) and if we nominate a JD(S) candidate in Hassan for the Lok Sabha elections, these videos can be used as a brahmastra and we will be tainted as a party that aligned with the family of a rapist. This will be a big blow to the image of our party nationally," Devaraje Gowdahad written in the letter. The row has also snowballed into a political squabble between the JDS and the BJP.