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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to extend all possible help to the victims of Janata Dal-Secular leader Prajwal Revanna's exploits.
In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Gandhi condemned the actions of Revanna, an MP from the southern state, and accused him of enjoying immunity with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a veiled attack on Modi, the Congress leader said he has never come across a senior public representative who has constantly chosen silence in the face of untold violence against women.
"I request you to kindly extend all possible support to the victims," Gandhi said in his letter to the Karnataka chief minister.
"They deserve our compassion and solidarity as they fight their battle for justice. We have a collective duty to ensure that all parties responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to book," he added.
Describing the incidents as "horrific sexual violence" unleashed by the incumbent member of Parliament from Hassan, Gandhi alleged that Revanna sexually assaulted and filmed hundreds of women over several years.
"Many who looked up to him as a brother and son were brutalised in the most violent manner and robbed of their dignity. The rape of our mothers and sisters warrants the strictest possible punishment.
"I am deeply shocked to learn that as far back as December 2023, our Home Minister Shri Amit Shah was informed by Shri G Devaraje Gowda about Prajwal Revanna's antecedents, especially his history of sexual violence and the presence of videos filmed by the perpetrator," the former Congress chief said.
He said what is even more shocking is that despite these gruesome allegations being brought to the notice of the seniormost leadership of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, Modi campaigned and canvassed for a "mass rapist".
"Furthermore, the Union government wilfully allowed him to flee India to derail any meaningful investigation. The deeply perverse nature of these crimes and the absolute immunity enjoyed by Prajwal Revanna with the blessings of the Prime Minister and Home Minister deserves the strongest condemnation," Gandhi said.
"In my two decades in public life, I have never come across a senior public representative who has constantly chosen silence in the face of untold violence against women. From our wrestlers in Haryana to our sisters in Manipur, Indian women are bearing the brunt of the Prime Minister's tacit support for such criminals," he alleged.
In this backdrop, Gandhi said the Congress has a moral duty to fight for justice for "our mothers and sisters".
"I understand that the Karnataka government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the grave allegations, and a request has been made to the Prime Minister to cancel Prajwal Revanna's diplomatic passport and get him extradited to India at the earliest," he said.
Siddaramaiah posted Gandhi's letter on X.
"The recent case involving Prajwal Revanna has deeply disturbed the nation. Upholding justice for the victims is crucial for maintaining faith in our legal system. Shri @RahulGandhi has written a letter, emphasising support for the victims. We are committed to providing all necessary assistance to ensure a fair process," the veteran Congress leader wrote on the microblogging platform.
Revanna, the Janata Dal (Secular) MLA from Holenarasipura in Karnataka's Hassan district, is the son of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and elder brother of former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy. He is facing allegations of sexually abusing women.