Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, on Wednesday, claimed that JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy was responsible for circulating the explicit videos allegedly linked to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.
He called the former chief minister "king of blackmailing" and the "lead, director, and producer of the story." Revanna is Kumaraswamy's nephew.
Shivakumar was reacting to Kumaraswamy demanding his dismissal from the cabinet, dubbing him a "key conspirator" in the circulation of alleged sex videos.
"Kumaraswamy knows about the pen drive (containing explicit video clips) 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.
"Finishing (politically) one after the other is his (Kumaraswamy) job. Blackmailing, (Kumaraswamy is) king of blackmail...he is threatening everyone, officers, and politicians. What else he has been doing? Let him do it, there is time to discuss all this, let us discuss in the assembly."
The sexual abuse charges against Prajwal Revanna has caused a political storm in Karnataka. The Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases while the the BJP and JD(S) demanded that the cases be handed over to the CBI.
Accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of a conspiracy, Kumaraswamy had, on Tuesday, claimed that 25,000 pen drives with videos of women being sexually abused allegedly by Prajwal Revanna, were distributed in the state before polls.
Kumaraswamy had said his name and that of his father former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda should not be taken or linked to the explicit video clips case, as the Revanna family is a separate entity. Reacting to this, Shivakumar asked, "Then why is he (Kumaraswamy) worried about the matter that is not linked to him? Having already said that action should be taken in accordance with law and the guilty should be punished, why is he speaking?"
"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," he said.
Asked about allegations that the Congress was behind circulating the pen drive containing the clips he said, "Kumaraswamy is getting things done by the BJP, he is behind everything, let the investigation happen.”
“Let those speaking on the issue, if they have any shame, go to the victims' family and try to instill confidence and give them strength."
