Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah requesting him to “extend all possible support to the victims” in the alleged sexual assault case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is now under an SIT probe.
“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 wrote in the letter.
In the letter posted on social media by Mr. Siddaramaiah, Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP for giving the NDA ticket to Prajwal Revanna despite knowing “his history of sexual violence and the presence of videos filmed by the perpetrator.” He further said, “What is even more shocking is that despite these gruesome allegations being brought to the notice of the senior-most BJP leadership, the Prime Minister campaigned and canvassed for a mass rapist.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted on social media that he was promising to both Rahul Gandhi and all citizens of Karnataka that the State government would stand with the victims in their fight for justice. “We are committed to safeguarding and fighting for justice for the victims in the Prajwal Revanna sex abuse case. We will carry out a non-partisan investigation and bring to book whoever is involved without protecting anyone, whoever it may be,” he said.
Activists put forward demand
Meanwhile, over 700 women activists, including members of the All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) and Women for Democracy (WFD), have written to the National Commission for Women (NCW), questioning its lack of proactive role in the case and placing a list of demands for the safety of and justice for the victims.
The petition has demanded that NCW must ensure the “protection of identities of survivors as well as adequate safety and security to all the women who have faced sexual abuse” and ensure “necessary psychological, medical, financial and legal support to all the survivors of the sexual assault, as well as rehabilitation in terms of NALSA’s compensation scheme for Women Survivors of Sexual Assault, 2018.”
Take down videos
The petition has also asked NCW to “direct all online platforms and digital search engines to de-index and take down the videos and images immediately, to protect the safety and dignity of the survivors. Circulation and distribution of this content online and offline must be strictly forbidden, and stern legal action must be taken against those who circulate the videos or images of the women survivors”.
They have also demanded that NCW recommend the “disqualification of H.D. Revanna as an MLA and that Prajwal Revanna should not be allowed to assume charge as MP, even if he is declared a winner until the charges against him are judicially settled and he is held fully accountable for all offences committed”.
