Key Takeaways
- BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda implicates Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in Prajwal Revanna scandal
- DK Shivakumar refutes allegations, attributing them to political motives
- The Prajwal scandal involves the release of compromising videos featuring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna
Bengaluru: G Devaraje Gowda, a prominent leader of the BJP, has stirred controversy by implicating Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in the release of compromising videos featuring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda made bold claims in a press conference, stating that the Congress’s primary target is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also accused the Congress government of apprehending JDS MLA HD Revanna, Prajwal Revanna’s father. Gowda claimed that the Congress aims to undermine the BJP’s position in the state and has also implicated him in the matter.
Expressing skepticism towards the ongoing investigation led by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Devaraje Gowda declared his intention to escalate the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging discrepancies between the videos he possesses and those that have been released.
Moreover, Devaraje Gowda claimed that Shivakumar had offered him a Cabinet position, linking him to the scandal. “Shivakumar is the central figure in this pen drive incident. He proposed a Cabinet berth to me. I possess details regarding the creation of the pen drive and the involvement of Congress candidate Shreyas Patel from Hassan,” asserted Devaraje Gowda.
Accusing the SIT of coercion, Devaraje Gowda asserted, “SIT SP, Suman D Pannekar, compelled me to retract my statement against the Deputy Chief Minister. This is why I lack confidence in the SIT.”
Furthermore, he alleged interference from former minister LR Shivarame Gowda, claiming pressure not to implicate Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.
Responding to these allegations on Tuesday, Shivakumar dismissed them as ‘baseless’, attributing them to political motives.
“Devaraje Gowda ran for elections on a BJP ticket. He is a prominent member of the BJP. Both the JD-S and the BJP are grappling with the Prajwal Revanna case, and as a result, they are attempting to deflect blame onto me through Devaraje Gowda,” remarked Shivakumar.
Shivakumar also refuted claims of a meeting with Gowda, citing time constraints. “Devaraje Gowda sought to meet me to discuss the pen drive issue and other internal matters of the BJP, but I was unable to accommodate the meeting due to time constraints,” he clarified.
As the political blame game intensifies amidst the scandal, the truth behind the release of the compromising videos remains shrouded in controversy.
