Breaking his silence on the sexual abuse allegations against his grandson and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) Supremo HD Deve Gowda said that Prajwal should be given the harshest punishment if the accusations against him turn out to be true. Issuing a “stern warning” to his rape-accused grandson, Deve Gowda asked him to return to the country and surrender before the police.
Prajwal fled to Germany after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against him. Prajwal has been accused of sexually abusing numerous women and recording them on his phone. On April 28, a 47-year-old woman filed a complaint against the MP accusing him of harassing her and her daughter. Shortly after more women came forward with complaints, Prajwal was suspended from the party on April 30. So far four women have come forward.
In a letter, titled “My Warning To Prajwal Revanna,” the party patriarch said that he was not aware of the alleged activities of his grandson. “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. I also cannot convince people that I was unaware of Prajwal's activities. I cannot convince them 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,” he said.
“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,” the former PM said.
“If he does not heed to this warning, he will have to face my anger and 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,” he added.
Responding to the criticism directed at him and his family, he said said, “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.”
Refraining to comment on what he described as political conspiracies, exaggerations, provocations, and falsehoods that have emerged in recent weeks, Deve Gowda said, "I am very sure people who have done it will have to answer to God and pay for it heavily one day. I place my truth and my burdens at the feet of the Lord.”