An MP from the Janata Dal (Secular) party, allied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka State, is facing allegations of sexually abusing multiple women. Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the center of a political firestorm that threatens to impact the ongoing national elections in India.
The leak of nearly 3,000 videos, allegedly shot by Prajwal, showing him engaging in sexual abuse, has become a weapon used by the opposition Congress Party against Modi and the BJP. The scandal has cast a shadow over the remaining seats in Karnataka’s election, scheduled for May 7.
Allegations against Prajwal include recorded instances of women pleading to be spared while he continues to violate them. Additionally, a woman has filed a police complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting her between 2019 and 2022. Prajwal has denied all allegations, claiming that the circulating videos are doctored. He has left for Germany, where he is believed to be at present.
The JD(S) party, to which Prajwal belongs, has temporarily suspended him, and the Congress-led state government has initiated a police investigation into the allegations. Questions have also arisen regarding whether the BJP was aware of the videos, as Prajwal’s former driver confessed to leaking them to a BJP leader, Devarajegowda.
While campaigning in Karnataka, Modi distanced the BJP from the case, emphasizing their support for women’s empowerment. However, members of the Congress Party have accused the BJP of being aware of the videos, citing a letter from Devarajegowda warning against nominating Prajwal as a candidate due to grave allegations against him.
The impact of these allegations on the BJP-JD(S) alliance and Modi’s national standing remains uncertain. Political analyst Rasheed Kidwai suggests that while the BJP’s core voters may overlook such indiscretions, neutral or swing voters may be influenced. However, the overall political impact is expected to be confined to Karnataka.
The JD(S) is now on the defensive, with party leaders expressing embarrassment over the videos. Prajwal’s grandfather, HD Deve Gowda, has called for action if any wrongdoing is proven, asserting that the family and party leadership had no prior knowledge of the accusations.
Prajwal’s decision to leave the country amidst the allegations is not surprising, as politicians often avoid trials in matters of sexual misconduct. However, HD Kumaraswamy, Prajwal’s uncle and the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, stated that his nephew would not be forgiven if found guilty, using a Kannada proverb to emphasize the importance of accountability.
