Karnataka sex scandal: Congress asks PM Modi to break his silence

The Congress on Sunday, 5 May asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his "silence" on Karnataka's alleged sex scandal involving JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, and asserted that its women's wing will keep raising its voice until he is brought back to India to face the law.

All India Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba slammed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and National Women Commission Chairperson Rekha Sharma for being silent on the case.

"Today half the population of the country is demanding that Smriti Irani and Rekha Sharma break their silence," she said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has also expressed concern over the matter and former party chief Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to the Karnataka chief minister, asking for strict action, Lamba said.

"Prime Minister, break your silence. Until PM Modi brings Prajwal Revanna from Germany and hands him over to the Karnataka government, Mahila Congress will raise its voice from every corner of the country. Not only us, half the population of the country (women) will ask you questions," she said.

"Mahila Congress will 'gherao' PM Modi everywhere, because we are not afraid of your power and police machinery," she said.

Lamba said a BJP leader had written a letter to the Karnataka BJP state president informing him about Prajwal Ravanna's involvement in the "mass rape case."

The BJP already knew about thousands of his "obscene" videos, she claimed.

"Yet PM Modi asks for votes for Prajwal Revanna and Prajwal and his father are seen standing with HD Revanna," she said and played out the video of Modi campaigning for them.

"All this shows that PM Modi is defending Prajwal Revanna," she alleged.

She said that a delegation of Mahila Congress had met the NCW on April 30 over the case and sought action.

"Today is May 5, but no response has come from the National Commission for Women," she said.

Prajwal and his father H D Revanna, a former Karnataka minister, were booked by police on Sunday on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household.

Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and a nephew of Karnataka former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Faced with unrelenting attack from the Congress and other political parties, the JD(S), an ally of the BJP, has suspended Prajwal.

Karnataka JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was arrested by sleuths of a Special Investigation Team on Saturday in a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against his son Prajwal, officials said. He was arrested soon after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Sunday said a 'Blue Corner' notice has been issued and Interpol's help is being taken to bring NDA's Hassan Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna back to India.