Indus Valley Times

BENGALURU, MAY 23: Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Thursday issued a warning to his grandson and Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is wanted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) over sexual abuse charges, to return from abroad.

“It is of utmost importance to me to earn back the trust of the people. They have stood by me for over sixty years of my political life and am deeply indebted to them. As long as I am alive, I will never let them down”, he stated. He issued the warning in a letter that he posted on X, tagging Prajwal.

Prajwal had reportedly left for Germany on April 26 after casting his vote in the Lok Sabha polls. After the charges against Prajwal rocked political circles in Karnataka, the state government set up the SIT which has got an Interpol blue corner alert issued to secure Prajwal.

Gowda’s warning came after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the cancellation of Prajwal’s diplomatic passport. A couple of days ago, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had claimed that he did not know about his nephew’s whereabouts but made an appeal to him through the media to return immediately to the country.

Gowda broke his silence on the occasion of his 91st birthday on May 18, clarifying to the media that he has no objection to action against Prajwal. But he alleged that the Congress government had created false cases against his son and Prajwal’s father HD Revanna, who is the Holenarasipura MLA. Revanna was arrested over the alleged kidnap of a victim of Prajwal and released on bail.

In his letter of warning, Gowda elaborated on the sufferings he had to face owing to the charges against Prajwal.

Siddaramaiah writes to PM as MEA considers cancellation of Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport

“I spoke to the media about Prajwal Revanna when I was headed to the temple to offer pooja. It took me some time to recover from the shock and pain he has inflicted on me, my entire family, my colleagues, friends and party workers. I have already said that he should be given the harshest punishment under the law, if found guilty. My son and former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has advocated this line since the day the scandal broke,” Gowda explained.

“People have used the harshest words against me and my family in the last few weeks. I am aware of it. I do not wish to stop them. I do not wish to criticise them. I will not try and argue with them that they should have waited until all the facts were found out,” he said.

“I also cannot convince people that I was unaware of Prajwal’s activities and that I have no desire to shield him. I cannot convince them that I am not aware of his movements, and that I was not aware of his foreign trip. I believe in answering my conscience. I believe in God and I know the almighty knows the truth,” the letter said.

“I will not venture to comment on political conspiracies, exaggerations, provocations and falsehoods that have been maliciously spread in recent weeks. I am very sure people who have done it will have to answer God and pay for it heavily one day. I place my truth and my burdens at the feet of the Lord,” he said in the letter.

“At this juncture, I can do only one thing. I can issue a stern warning to Prajwal and ask him to return from wherever he is and surrender before the police. He should subject himself to the legal process. This is not an appeal that I am making, it is a warning that I am issuing. If he does not heed to this warning, he will have to face my anger and the anger of all his family members. The law will take care of the accusations against him, but not listening to the family will ensure his total isolation. If he has any respect left for me, he has to return immediately,” Gowda said.

He clarified that neither he nor his family members will interfere in the inquiry against Prajwal. “There is no emotion in this regard in my mind whatsoever, there is only the cause of justice for those who have suffered as a result of his alleged actions and misdeeds,” he stated.

-PTI