Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday said there is a process to cancel the diplomatic passport of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually harassing several women, and stated that the Centre is ready to cooperate in bringing him back to the country.
Hitting out at the state government, he questioned why they did not file a case and detain Prajwal before he left for abroad. The union minister also accused the Congress dispensation of trying to put the blame on the Centre and playing politics on the issue.
Joshi was reacting to a question on Chief Minister Siddarmaiah writing a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take "prompt and necessary" actions to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal. "There is a process to cancel diplomatic passports...so far Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar (Deputy CM) and Parameshwara (Home Minister) have not responded to my question,” the minister said.
"The first pen drive containing clipping (explicit clippings involving Prajwal) came out on April 21 and Prajwal Revanna left for abroad on April 27. Were they guarding donkeys for seven days? Why didn't you file an FIR and detain him?" Joshi asked.
Speaking to reporters at Kalaburagi, he said, "There is a process to get him (Prajwal) back from abroad and the Government of India is ready to extend cooperation to the state government by following necessary processes in accordance with the law." Joshi further said, "But this thing that as soon as we (CM or state government) write things should happen, or else put the blame on BJP (is not right). They (state government) did not take action in the pen drive case until the first phase of polls was over (on April 26) with an eye on Vokkkaliga votes. Now they are trying to put the blame on the Centre."
This is a serious case, Prajwal has to face the probe and will have to face punishment if found guilty. “There is no question about it,” he said, adding, "But the Karnataka government, more than probe, is trying to do politics in this case."
Siddaramaiah in his letter to PM Modi on Wednesday said it is "disheartening" that his previous letter regarding cancelling Prajwal's diplomatic passport, has not been acted upon, despite the gravity of the situation. The chief minister had earlier on May 1 written to Modi urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is processing a request of the Karnataka government seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport of Prajwal. Official sources said that the MEA has received a letter from the Karnataka government seeking the revocation of Prajwal's diplomatic passport.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda and is the NDA's candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on May 18 against Prajwal, following an application moved by the SIT.