The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Karnataka): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has voiced strong criticism against the handling of the Prajwal Revanna case by the Congress government in Karnataka, asserting a zero-tolerance policy towards such incidents. In an interview with Times Now, Modi highlighted that the responsibility for addressing the scandal, involving thousands of incriminating videos, lies with the state government, which he accused of political negligence.
Modi pointed out that the videos, allegedly from the period when JD(S) was in a coalition with Congress, were released strategically during elections after the Vokkaliga community had voted. He expressed suspicion over the timing of Revanna’s departure from the country and criticized the state’s failure to monitor and prevent his exit, suggesting it should have maintained vigilance at the airport.
The Prime Minister dismissed the notion that the central government was informed of the situation, describing the sequence of events as a “political game” by the state government. He emphasized the need for stringent action without any reservations: “We should bring him back and strict action should be taken against him. There should be no ifs and buts.”
The backdrop to these events includes the previous coalition between Congress and JD(S) after the 2018 Karnataka polls and their subsequent split after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Currently, JD(S) has allied with BJP for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
This case has been leveraged by the Congress to target BJP, given the alleged involvement of Revanna, who is a grandson of former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda and was a candidate in the recent polls in Hassan—a region with significant influence of the Vokkaliga community, to which Gowda belongs.
In addition, Modi discussed broader political issues, accusing Congress of duplicity in its electoral promises and strategies across different communities, contrasting this with BJP’s consistent stance on key national issues like the Ram Temple and Article 370. He also touched on the allegations of Congress intending to alter the Constitution, which he refuted, and criticized the opposition’s stance on wealth distribution and inheritance tax as indicative of their double standards.