Karnataka Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Wednesday, 14 October publicly accused Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy of extending sympathy to convicted rape accused and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, while showing little concern for the hundreds of women allegedly victimised by him in the Hassan pen drive case. The sharp rebuke intensifies the political war of words in Karnataka over the high-profile case.

What Cheluvarayaswamy Said

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Cheluvarayaswamy challenged Kumaraswamy to formally file a complaint if he possessed information about those behind the distribution of the pen drives. 'H.D. Kumaraswamy seems to think Prajwal Revanna is an innocent boy. He asks who was behind the Hassan pen drive controversy. Let him file a complaint against those who distributed the pen drives, and action can be taken. If he files a complaint, I will personally request the Chief Minister to order an investigation,' the minister said.

Cheluvarayaswamy went further, accusing the Union Minister of selective outrage. 'He has sympathy for Prajwal Revanna, but not for the hundreds of women who suffered injustice because of him. What about the lives of those women? Where are they today? What is the condition of their families? What has happened to their personal lives? Does he know the hell they are going through?' he asked.

Background: The Prajwal Revanna Case

Prajwal Revanna is the nephew of H.D. Kumaraswamy and the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. He was convicted in a rape case and is currently lodged in Bengaluru Central Jail. The Hassan pen drive case, which involves the alleged circulation of videos purportedly showing Prajwal in compromising situations, triggered a political firestorm in Karnataka and led to the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Cheluvarayaswamy noted that the Congress had deliberately refrained from repeatedly raising the Hassan matter given its sensitivity, but accused Kumaraswamy of continuing to bring it up publicly.

What Kumaraswamy Had Alleged

The exchange follows remarks made by Kumaraswamy at a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday, in which he questioned the timing of developments related to Prajwal Revanna's prison transfer. He alleged that such issues were being surfaced to divert public attention away from the Bidadi farmers' protest.

Kumaraswamy demanded to know who had ordered Prajwal's transfer to Hindalga prison and who had subsequently directed his return, asking the state government for clarity. He also clarified that he had not opposed the formation of the SIT, but insisted that the same investigative seriousness be applied to other cases — including an accounting of how many persons had been arrested for producing and distributing the pen drives, and how many women had filed formal complaints.

Political Context and What Comes Next

The bitter exchange reflects the deepening rift between the ruling Congress-led Karnataka government and the Janata Dal (Secular)-BJP alliance at the Centre. This is not the first time the Prajwal Revanna case has generated cross-party political friction — the SIT was itself constituted amid opposition pressure earlier this year.

Cheluvarayaswamy's offer to personally petition Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for an investigation into the pen drive distribution puts the ball firmly in Kumaraswamy's court. Whether the Union Minister follows through with a formal complaint is likely to determine the next political development in this case.