Breaking silence over sexual abuse allegations against his grandson Prajwal Revanna, JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda broke silence on the issue on his 92nd birthday on Saturday.
Announcing his decision not to celebrate his birthday, the former Prime Minister said he has no objection to the action taken against Prajwal if he is proven guilty. But Gowda said the sexual abuse and kidnapping charges against his son and Prajwal's father, H.D. Revanna, are fabricated.
"There is no objection from us for taking action against Prajwal. But people have come to know about the allegations made against Revanna, how the case has been created. In one case he has got the bail, in another case there is judgment day-after-tomorrow," he said
"... I don't want to comment on things that are going on in the court regarding Revanna. Prajwal Revanna has gone abroad, regarding that Kumaraswamy chief) has on behalf of our family said it is the duty of the government to take action in accordance with the law of the land," the JD(S) patriarch added.
"There are several people connected to this , I don't want to take anyone's names. Kumaraswamy has said that those who are involved in this matter, action should be taken against all of them, and the affected women should get justice and compensation," he further said.
Earlier in the day, BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda, who was arrested in connection with a sexual abuse case, claimed that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and four other ministers were responsible for circulating the videos of Prajwal. He alleged that Shivakumar offered him Rs 100 crore to "bring a bad name" to BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to tarnish the image of former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Responding to a question on the BJP leader's claims, the JD(S) supremo said, "We have seen in the media what Devaraje Gowda has said. Kumaraswamy, as the party's state President, has been actively responding to all this. He will speak. I won't at this point. I had campaigned for the Lok Sabha polls. On June 4, after the Lok Sabha poll results are announced, I will meet with (the media)."
