<p>Following allegations of sexual harassment, Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi resigned from the Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday. </p>.<p>His resignation came after protests and criticism by Opposition parties and several sections of society, causing a huge embarrassment to the government and the ruling BJP. In his resignation letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa just ahead of the cabinet meeting this afternoon, Jarkiholi claimed he was innocent.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/ramesh-jarkiholi-is-4th-minister-to-resign-over-impropriety-in-karnataka-957818.html" target="_blank">Ramesh Jarkiholi is 4th minister to resign over ‘impropriety’ in Karnataka</a></strong></p>.<p>However, Jarkiholi's case is not the first in Karnataka politics. He is the fourth minister to resign from the Cabinet over such charges, since the first case in 1973. </p>.<p><strong>Prakash Rathod</strong></p>.<p>Congress MLC Prakash Rathod in January 2021 was alleged to have been scrolling through obscene videos on his mobile phone while sitting in the Legislative Council. Parts of a video clip captured by some television channels showed him scrolling through some images on his phone. However, the content was not clearly visible.</p>.<p>Reacting to questions on these allegations later, Rathod claimed he was not watching anything obscene. "I was looking for content pertaining to questions that I had raised in the House. I realised that my gallery was cluttered. I was only deleting some images from there. There was no obscene content in it," Rathod said. </p>.<p><strong>Hartal Halappa </strong></p>.<p>Hartal Halappa, the then Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the BJP government (2008-13), was forced to resign from the Cabinet in 2010 after rape allegations were levelled against him. He was subsequently acquitted.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/karnataka-water-resources-minister-ramesh-jarkiholi-resigns-over-sex-scandal-in-setback-for-bjp-957581.html" target="_blank">Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi resigns over sex scandal in setback for BJP</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>Aravind Limbavali</strong></p>.<p>In 2019, BJP’s Aravind Limbavali, suspecting the involvement of political rivals in the release of a video showing him as purportedly involved in a sexual scandal, had filed a police complaint.</p>.<p><strong>H Y Meti</strong></p>.<p>In 2016, a CD of the then excise minister H Y Meti was released by an RTI activist, purportedly showing the minister in a compromising position with a woman, who allegedly approached him seeking help. </p>.<p><strong>S A Ramdas</strong></p>.<p>In 2014, grave allegations of marrying a woman in secret and harassing her by frequent transfers to avoid her were levelled against Ramdas, a three-time MLA and also a Cabinet minister in the previous BJP government. </p>.<p><strong>3 other BJP leaders</strong></p>.<p>In the 'porngate' episode involving three BJP leaders Lakshman Savadi, C C Patil, and Krishna Palemar had to lose their portfolios after being caught watching pornographic content inside the Legislative Assembly in 2012.</p>.<p><em>(With DHNS, PTI inputs)</em></p>
<p>Following allegations of sexual harassment, Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi resigned from the Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday. </p>.<p>His resignation came after protests and criticism by Opposition parties and several sections of society, causing a huge embarrassment to the government and the ruling BJP. In his resignation letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa just ahead of the cabinet meeting this afternoon, Jarkiholi claimed he was innocent.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/ramesh-jarkiholi-is-4th-minister-to-resign-over-impropriety-in-karnataka-957818.html" target="_blank">Ramesh Jarkiholi is 4th minister to resign over ‘impropriety’ in Karnataka</a></strong></p>.<p>However, Jarkiholi's case is not the first in Karnataka politics. He is the fourth minister to resign from the Cabinet over such charges, since the first case in 1973. </p>.<p><strong>Prakash Rathod</strong></p>.<p>Congress MLC Prakash Rathod in January 2021 was alleged to have been scrolling through obscene videos on his mobile phone while sitting in the Legislative Council. Parts of a video clip captured by some television channels showed him scrolling through some images on his phone. However, the content was not clearly visible.</p>.<p>Reacting to questions on these allegations later, Rathod claimed he was not watching anything obscene. "I was looking for content pertaining to questions that I had raised in the House. I realised that my gallery was cluttered. I was only deleting some images from there. There was no obscene content in it," Rathod said. </p>.<p><strong>Hartal Halappa </strong></p>.<p>Hartal Halappa, the then Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the BJP government (2008-13), was forced to resign from the Cabinet in 2010 after rape allegations were levelled against him. He was subsequently acquitted.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/karnataka-water-resources-minister-ramesh-jarkiholi-resigns-over-sex-scandal-in-setback-for-bjp-957581.html" target="_blank">Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi resigns over sex scandal in setback for BJP</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>Aravind Limbavali</strong></p>.<p>In 2019, BJP’s Aravind Limbavali, suspecting the involvement of political rivals in the release of a video showing him as purportedly involved in a sexual scandal, had filed a police complaint.</p>.<p><strong>H Y Meti</strong></p>.<p>In 2016, a CD of the then excise minister H Y Meti was released by an RTI activist, purportedly showing the minister in a compromising position with a woman, who allegedly approached him seeking help. </p>.<p><strong>S A Ramdas</strong></p>.<p>In 2014, grave allegations of marrying a woman in secret and harassing her by frequent transfers to avoid her were levelled against Ramdas, a three-time MLA and also a Cabinet minister in the previous BJP government. </p>.<p><strong>3 other BJP leaders</strong></p>.<p>In the 'porngate' episode involving three BJP leaders Lakshman Savadi, C C Patil, and Krishna Palemar had to lose their portfolios after being caught watching pornographic content inside the Legislative Assembly in 2012.</p>.<p><em>(With DHNS, PTI inputs)</em></p>
