Congress government in Karnataka sat on evidence against Prajwal Revanna: Union minister Sitharaman

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday claimed that the Congress government in Karnataka did not take action against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, accused of sexually abusing women, for about a year despite being aware of the matter.

The Congress was afraid that it might lose Vokkaliga votes and therefore stayed silent until the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections got over, she said, speaking at a meeting with select journalists here.

"The Union home minister (Amit Shah) has made it very clear that we will not tolerate the matters that go against women and on that we stand united. Though the (BJP's) alliance partner has this issue, we have made it clear that it was not acceptable, and let it be investigated," Sitharaman said, when asked if the scandal will have an impact on her party's performance in Karnataka in the ongoing elections.

It was being claimed that a driver gave a pen drive (allegedly containing evidence of Revanna's acts) to the Congress party and state home minister but they were sitting on this evidence for about a year, and "now the BJP is made to answer because the JD(S) is in alliance with us," she said.

The ministers of the Congress government knew what was in the pen drive but they did not think that safety of women should be their priority, Sitharaman alleged.

"They thought the Vokkaliga votes might go from their hands and decided to remain silent till the time the first phase of Lok Sabha got over. Now they are making it a big issue and pushing it which is typical of Congress and it shows their hypocrisy," BJP leader further said, asking why probe was delayed for one year.

Karnataka government was now writing to the prime minister about the case, asking him to issue look-out notices against Prajwal Revanna and bring him back from abroad, but Union home minister had clearly said that Kar nataka government can take all action it wants to take, she said.