(Samajweekly)
3 rd May, 2024
To,
The Chairperson,
National Commission for Women,
New Delhi
Madam,
We, the undersigned signatories from the All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA),
Women for Democracy (WFD), other women’s rights, democratic collectives and
concerned citizens across India are writing to you, deeply dismayed at the lack of
prompt and strict action by the NCW in the Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna
case, in which numerous women have faced sexual violence and sexual assault. We
strongly condemn the impunity with which Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna have
abused their positions as MP and (former) Karnataka Minister respectively and call
for their immediate arrest.
The deep sense of outrage is not just to the survivors of the crimes perpetrated here, but to
all citizens of India, and all custodian institutions that are supposed to uphold women’s
constitutional rights in this country. An open, unconditional and immediate apology is
owed to each of the women subjected to the horrendous violence here. The Prime
Minister himself should apologize in this case and ensure stringent action, even though it
is not surprising to see his silence yet again after Manipur and many other incidents.
In the past decade, there have been many ‘high-profile’ cases in which members of the
ruling party BJP and its other allies in NDA were accused of sexual violence and the
consistent inaction / weak action of the NCW in many of these cases has been telling! The
current case seems to be yet another shameful addition to the list and is shocking, both in
terms of the scale of abuse and the impunity of the perpetrators. This erodes public
confidence in the NCW, and the trust of women of the country in such bodies, meant for
redressal and for systemic or structural changes in our institutions and society.
It has come to light that close to 2976 videos of sexual abuse and violence against
numerous women, at the hands of Prajwal Revanna have been circulating via hundreds of
pen drives and social media handles. An FIR has also been filed, based on the complaint
of a domestic worker, alleging Prajwal Revanna [MP of JD(S) from Hassan, which is an
ally of ruling BJP], and his father HD Revanna (MLA of Holenarasipura) of sexually
violating her and her daughter.
We are aware that acting upon complaints of women’s rights groups in Karnataka and the
letter from the Chairperson of the State Women's Commission, the Chief Minister of
Karnataka has announced the constitution of an SIT to investigate into this matter and
issued summons to both Prajwal Revanna and his father HD Revanna, currently an MLA
and a former minister in the state government. The SIT has also filed an FIR against the
two accused, including charges of abduction. Public protests have been reported from
different places by outraged women’s groups and citizens. After a major public uproar,
NCW had to write to the State DGP, seeking a report within 3 days. However, this action
alone is insufficient.
As feminist, women’s rights activists and deeply concerned citizens, we demand
answers to the following questions:
Why has the response of the custodian of women’s rights in the country
(NCW) remained so minimal, when no less than a Member of Parliament and
a sitting MLA face grave charges of sexual abuse and violence against
multiple women, that too in an unprecedented manner?
How was Prajwal Revanna allowed to flee the country on a ‘diplomatic
passport’, without having to face the consequences for his atrocious and
criminal unlawful actions, and who all in positions of power, facilitated the
same?
Why was Prajwal Revanna allowed to contest the Hassan Lok Sabha seat
from the NDA, even after his actions of wide-spread sexual abuse were known
and even communicated through a letter dated 8 th Dec, 2023 by Mr. Devaraje
Gowda, a BJP MLA candidate to no less than the Home Minister, Mr. Amit
Shah?
By campaigning for a serial sexual abuser like Mr. Prajwal Revanna and
allowing him to contest on an MP seat, what message are the Prime Minister
and the Home Minister conveying to the women of India?
If only the NCW had taken timely and stringent action in many previous cases, such
incidents would not have happened. We do not hesitate in saying that the NCW has failed
the women of this country, by allowing the institution to become an agency for political
vendetta and agendas of the ruling party at the Centre. The lack of swift action in
numerous cases of violations of women’s rights only establishes that the Commission is
no longer keen on upholding women’s rights as per its mandate in the NCW Act of 1990.
We hope that at least now, NCW will live up to its mandate and do the needful.
In the light of the above, we call upon the NCW to immediately:
Ensure the immediate arrest of Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna based on
the FIRs filed against them, as well as arrest of all those involved in
concealing or facilitating the offences by Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna.
Issue Summons to Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna, to initiate a swift
inquiry and proceed to recommend appropriate legal and criminal action
against them as per the powers vested in the NCW.
Recommend cancellation of Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport and
ensure his return to India immediately.
Ensure protection of identities of survivors as well as adequate safety and
security to all the women who have faced sexual abuse, who have complained,
are likely to complain and are potential witnesses in the case, as per the
Witness Protection Scheme, 2018.
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.
Recommend the disqualification of HD 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.
Issue summons to the BJP President to inquire into information available to
the ruling party about the criminal activities of Mr. Prajwal Revanna since
December 2023 and why no action was taken by it in this regard, when BJP
decided to allow the accused to contest as an MP from BJP-led Alliance of
NDA, with the Prime Minister himself campaigning for him.
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.
We hope and trust that the Commission will ensure effective action on all the above
counts and rigorously pursue the case until, all the perpetrators of the offences are
brought to justice and all the survivors are fully supported.
On behalf of many feminist, women’s rights and democratic groups across India
Prof. Rama Melkote, Kavitha Kuruganti, Aruna Roy, Hasina Khan, Madhu Bhushan,
Chayanika Shah, Lalita Ramdas, Kavita Srivastava, Moumita Alam, Grace Banu, Mariam
Dhavale, Dr Sylvia Karpagam, Veena Shatrughna, Dr. Jayati Ghosh, Jarjum Gamlin Ete, ,
Dr. Gabriele Dietrich, Meena Kandasamy, Madhuri, Prof. Rooprekha Verma, Kalyani Menon
Sen, Ulka Mahajan, Vani Subramanian, Maimoona Mollah, Nirjhari Sinha, Dr Sheetal
Kamble, Puli Kalpana, Dr. Rati Rao, Faiza Khan, Vibhuti Patel, Bondita Mrina, Arundhati
Dhuru, Chandana Chakrabarti , Adv Jhuma Sen, Adv Shalu Nigam, Cedric Prakash, Dr.
Mira Shiva, Adv Tanya Laskar, Brinelle D'Souza, Madhu Bhadhuri, Adv Indira Unninayar,
Harsh Mander, Prof. Anil Sadgopal, Arun Khote, Maya John, Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, Sharad
Behar, Prafulla Samantara, Gautam Mody, Rita Manchanda, V. Vasanthi Devi, Shaktiman
Ghosh, Sabina Martins, Meera Sanghamitra amongst others.
