Prajwal Revanna Sex Scandal: Scuffle Breaks Out Between Congress, JD(S) Workers in Hubbali

Hassan: A scuffle broke out between the party workers of the Congress and the JD(S) on Tuesday at Karnataka's Hubbali amid sexual abuse allegations against sitting JD(S) MP Hassan Prajwal Revanna.

The reaction came in after the JD(S) earlier in the day suspended Revanna from the party with immediate effect after the party core committee that met in Hubballi recommended his suspension to its national president and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, who is also the accused's grandfather.

Karnataka Police in Bengaluru detained several workers of the Congress in Bengaluru for staging protest against the alleged sex scandal involving Revanna and demanding his arrest for the same.

The suspension order stated, “Videos of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna allegedly harassing women are widely in circulation on social media and media and this has caused huge embarrassment to the party and its leadership.”

Stating that the Congress government in Karnataka has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate this, it said, "In this backdrop, as per JD(S)' party constitution and rules regarding breach of discipline and punishment, Prajwal Revanna has been suspended with immediate effect." 

The suspension order, signed by party General Secretary KR Shivakumar, was released to the media following approval from the JD(S) national President.

Prajwal is the BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from Hassan, which went to the polls on Friday. The 33-year-old is the son of HD Deve Gowda's elder son HD Revanna, who is an MLA and a former Minister. Prajwal's uncle H D Kumaraswamy is the state president of JD(S).

Some explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days.

The government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged sex scandal involving the MP.

Kumaraswamy said, the decision is to suspend Prajwal, and the tenure of the suspension is based on the SIT probe report and government action on it.

"We welcome the SIT probe. The suspension is until the SIT reports on Prajwal's role. If it comes in the report that he is guilty, he will be permanently suspended," he added. 

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar told ANI, "No one in Karnataka believes HD Kumaraswamy, every day he changes his stand...that is his political history and political story...I don't have any evidence but was told that the party's senior leaders helped him (Prajwal Revanna) to leave the country...Amit Shah condemned the incident...but he said that it is their party issue and they will take action...they have to make it very clear, whether they want to be aligned with such people or not..."

(with PTI inputs)