BJP should clarify its stand on Prajwal Revanna’s videos, says Laxmi Hebbalkar

'BJP leaders staged protest across the state when murder of Neha Hiremath took place at Hubballi, but the same leaders were behaving like blind and deaf when it came to ‘Karmakanda’ of Prajwal,' Laxmi Hebbalkar expressed.

Belagavi: Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Monday demanded that the BJP must clarify its stand on the videos showing sexual harassment of women, where JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna -- a party BJP is in alliance with -- is implicated.

"BJP takes moral stand when it comes to issues pertaining to women and showcases itself as a champion of women's causes but none of its leaders were speaking regarding videos of Prajwal in which hundreds of women have been meted injustice," Hebbalkar told.

Hebbalkar told reporters here that videos of Prajwal with hundreds of women coming to fore has led to his head hanging in shame. BJP leaders Devrajgowda and former MLA Pritamgowda had made Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP State President B Y Vijayendra aware about videos of sexual harassment of Prajwal, despite that the BJP allied with JD(S) for Lok Sabha election for political gains, she added.

"The circumstances in which these women fell prey will be ascertained after investigations. It has to be seen if Prajwal used his powers as an MP or lured them with other assurances. BJP leaders staged protest across the state when murder of Neha Hiremath took place at Hubballi, but the same leaders are behaving like blind and deaf when it came to ‘Karmakanda’ of Prajwal," she expressed.

She recalled that the BJP candidate for Lok Sabha election from Belgaum parliamentary constituency Jagadish Shettar had staged protest against Neha’s murder incident, but has been silent about the pervert acts of its alliance partner leader.

"When former MLA Sanjay Patil had insulted me, Shettar and MP Mangal Angadi were laughing. Angadi had protested against Neha’s murder and should now protest against Prajwal’s acts as well," she sought.

Hebbalkar said that hundreds of women have fallen prey to Prajwal’s acts. "Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashok saying that JD(S) leaders will speak about it was not acceptable. BJP needs to make its stand known. Union ministers Shobha Karandlaje and Smriti Irani too were silent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during election campaign rally here spoke of Neha’s murder, but did not utter a word about Prajwal’s videos."

When the incident of videos of girls being made in bathroom in an Udupi college had come to fore, members of National Commission for Women had visited the college, but none of them have come to Hassan, she expressed.

We have been told that the victims in Prajwal’s case were in the age group of 16 to 60 years. Some of them were city municipal council commissioners, police officials and others from scheduled castes/tribes too. Some were even relatives of Bhavani Revanna. Government has formed Special Investigation Team led by B K Singh to investigate the case. We want the government to take Interpol’s help as Prajwal has gone abroad, she said.