JOIN USI've committed no crime: Savadi
Cooperation Minister Lakshman Savadi said he had not committed any crime and ruled out tendering his resignation.
Replying to a barrage of questions from the media at his residence, Savadi claimed he watched a “horrific” video of a women being raped by four men to prepare himself for a discussion in the House on atrocities being committed against women in the name of rave parties. He claimed that he was watching the video on the cellphone of Ports Minister Krishna Palemar.
“The rave party issue in Malpe has been a topic of discussion in the House. As Krishna Palemar entered the House, Patil and I sought to know from him the seriousness of the issue. Palemar, who is the district in-charge minister of Dakshina Kannada, said there was no obscenity at the parties. He then gave me his cell phone to watch a video that showed the atrocities being committed on women in other countries,” Savadi said.
“The video showed a women being raped by four men. The men later chop off the woman’s legs. The men are later caught by the public and hanged,” Savadi said and added he was horrified after watching the video.
On his part, Women and Child Development Minister C C Patil said Savadi was watching the video clip when suddenly an obscene clip popped up. “I might have watched the clip for about four to five seconds only. As soon as the obscene clip popped up, I took the phone from him and switched it off.
I haven’t done anything wrong – my character is intact. The people of my constituency can vouch for it. Both Savadi and I are the kind of people who have built a reputation of going home directly from the Assembly,” he said.
Patil admitted that cellphones are not allowed into the House. “But since the jammers installed in the House were not working, Savadi had kept the phone under the table, so that he didn’t catch the Speaker’s attention,” he said.
BJP National General Secretary and State incharge Dharmendra Pradhan said he would react only after ascertaining facts.
With this fiasco, the BJP leaders who have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons so far include –– Minister M P Renukacharaya, who faced the wrath of a nurse for allegedly cheating her; former minister Hartal Halappa, who is facing rape charges. The number now stands at four with Savadi and Patil getting included in the list.
Ministers may get the sack
BJP president Nitin Gadkari is understood to have asked Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to seek the resignations of Lakshman Savadi and C C Patil, reports DHNS from Delhi.
Gadkari spoke to Gowda late on Tuesday evening and told him to drop the two ministers if they failed to put in their papers.
Taking a serious view of the issue, the party chief is said to have asked Gowda to send him a full report on the incident.
Who they are...
*Lakshman Sangappa Savadi, 51, is a BJP MLA from Athani constituency in Belgaum district, and a native of Athani. He has studied up to class VII. He is presently the Co-operation and APMC Minister. He is also the Koppal district in-charge minister. Savadi is said to be a close confidant of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.
* C C Patil, 52, is a BJP MLA from Naragund constituency in Gadag district, and is a native of Naragund. His educational qualification is SSLC. He was initially a political secretary to the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. Patil became a minister in September 2010. He is also Gadag district in-charge minister. He is said to be a close associate of Yeddyurappa.
Reactions
I do not have any information on the incident. I will react to it after obtaining all the information.
D VSadananda Gowda
Chief Minister
I can’t react as I am yet to watch TV. I can comment only after I verify things. But rules does not allow members to use cell phone when the legisalture session is in progress
K G Bopaiah
Assembly Speaker
I learnt about the incident through the media. I will take appropriate action after consulting the party’s national leaders.
K S Eshwarappa
BJP State President
The incident has proved the true colours and taste of the BJP leaders. I would like to know what the RSS and the VHP say about it. This is the most disgraceful act and they are unfit to continue as ministers and MLAs. The Speaker and the CM should ask them to immediately resign.
H D Kumaraswamy
JD(S) State President
It (watching porn movies) is unpardonable. One cannot even use mobile phones inside the House. It is a big mistake. The Speaker will look into the issue and take appropriate action against the ministers.
N Yogish Bhat
Deputy Speaker
This is a big blunder on the part of the ministers. They have lowered the dignity of the House. Strictest action should be taken against them. The Speaker should book a case against them.
Ramesh Kumar
Former speaker