Min asks Centre why delay in revoking Prajwal's passport

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday took a dig at the Centre, a day after the Ministry of External Affairs said the state government's request to impound the diplomatic passport of absconding Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna was received only on May 21.

He sought to know what happened to the letter sent by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April, seeking revocation of the passport of the suspended JDS leader.

Reacting to a reported interview of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that his ministry got the request for cancelling the passport only on May 21, Parameshwara told reporters: "I too saw the media report. If he (S Jaishankar) said so, then it means that the PMO did not inform the Ministry of External Affairs."

"The Chief Minister wrote the letter in April itself and the EAM says he received it on May 21. What happened to the letter in the Prime Minister's Office? Didn't it get the value it deserved or did the PMO not inform the External Affairs Ministry?" Parameshwara asked. Taking a swipe at the union government, he said, "We can see how the Centre is functioning."

The Home Minister noted that once the diplomatic passport is cancelled, Prajwal has to return to India as he will lose the immunity to stay abroad. Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and the NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges 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 against Prajwal, following an application moved by the SIT.