The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Karnataka): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar claimed on Wednesday that JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is responsible for circulating explicit videos allegedly involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna. He labeled the former chief minister as the “king of blackmailing” and described him as the “lead, director, and producer” of the scandal. Revanna is Kumaraswamy’s nephew.
Shivakumar’s comments were in response to Kumaraswamy’s demand for his dismissal from the cabinet, accusing Shivakumar of being a “key conspirator” in the distribution of the alleged sex videos. “Kumaraswamy knows all about the pen drive matter completely. A lawyer (Devaraje Gowda) and others are speaking. Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) wants my resignation, it seems there is competition for Vokkaliga leadership. Let me give resignation, as he wants it,” Shivakumar said sarcastically.
He further accused Kumaraswamy of systematically targeting political rivals, saying, “Finishing (politically) one after the other is his job. Blackmailing, he is the king of blackmail…he is threatening everyone, officers, and politicians. What else has he been doing? Let him do it, there is time to discuss all this, let us discuss in the assembly.”
The allegations against Prajwal Revanna have sparked a political storm in Karnataka. The Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case, while the BJP and JD(S) have demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI.
On Tuesday, Kumaraswamy accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of conspiracy, claiming that 25,000 pen drives containing videos of women allegedly being sexually abused by Prajwal Revanna were distributed in the state before the elections. He insisted that his and his father, former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s names, should not be linked to the scandal, as the Revanna family is a separate entity.
Reacting to these accusations, Shivakumar questioned why Kumaraswamy was concerned about the matter if he claims it is not linked to him. “Then why is he worried about the matter that is not linked to him? Having already said that action should be taken in accordance with the law and the guilty should be punished, why is he speaking?” Shivakumar asked.
He continued, “Is he (Kumaraswamy) a lawyer or a judge to issue the judgment? Let him go to court and argue point by point. He has called SIT Shivakumar Investigation Team, and Siddaramaiah Investigation Team, (Congress in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh) Surjewala Investigation Team. He is the lead of the story, he is the director, he is the producer, he is everything. We know what he is up to.”
When asked about allegations that the Congress was behind the distribution of the pen drives, Shivakumar responded, “Kumaraswamy is getting things done by the BJP, he is behind everything, let the investigation happen.”
Shivakumar concluded by urging those commenting on the issue to visit the victims’ families to offer support and strength.
