Gender and Sexuality

A huge rally took place in Hassan, Karnataka demanding ‘no bail, only jail’ for the previously absconding MP Prajwal Revanna, with civil society organisations from across the state rallying for justice and accountability to the victims.

The Dalit woman, whose brother was reportedly killed by goons who had reportedly asked her to withdraw her complaint of sexual harassment, reportedly died by falling of the ambulance which was carrying her uncle’s dead body.

Through the protest, organisations pertaining to women, Dalits, farmers, minorities, backward communities, sexual minorities, scientific movements, student and youth movements will protest at Hassan town and demand cancellation of Revanna’s passport, protection of the dignity of the victims

A look at the past one year shows the emergence of a worrying trend where the NCW has turned a blind eye to issues of sexual violence or shown selective outrage in a bid to protect as well as further the political agenda of the current ruling BJP government

The arrest warrant had been issued by a special court for MPs and MLAs in Bengaluru following an application by the SIT formed to probe Prajwal's role in the sexual violence case

The bail comes after the MLA, an ally of the BJP party, spent nine days in jail; conditions imposed include a bond for Rs 5 lakh, bar from leaving the country, and prohibition on interacting with the witnesses

In addition, the Court also framed charges against Singh for outraging the modesty of women and criminal intimidation

The bench held that constitutional protection under Article 21 would not lend an “un-canalized support” to the right to live-in relationship when the usages and customs of Islam prohibit such relations between the two individuals

The BJP’s track record on women issues has not been great in the past, especially on cases of violence against women. As Prajwal Revanna, MP from Karnataka in alliance with the BJP, seems to evade justice, Sabrang India takes a look at BJP’s past record with crimes against women.

Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna, and his father, have been accused in a serious case of sexual assault for sexually exploiting women and videotaping these incidents almost 3000 times. Meanwhile, his father, H D Revanna has claimed that the videos are ‘4-5 years old.’