‘Prajwal scandal has affected many households in Hassan’: Banu Mushtaq

Banu Mushtaq.
| Picture Credit score: By Particular Association

Hassan-based Banu Mushtaq is a well known Kannada author and social activist who can be a practising advocate. She is a member of the small however vibrant group of civil society activists in Hassan, which organised a protest within the city on April 29 demanding an neutral probe into the Prajwal Revanna intercourse movies case. On this unique interview with Frontline, Mushtaq weighs in on totally different sides of the problem. Excerpts:

Civil society teams protested in Hassan on April 29. You have been additionally a part of the protest. What have been the principle calls for of the protestors?

It’s unlucky that despite the fact that greater than 2,000 folks participated within the protest, lots of them belonging to Left teams and ladies’s organisations weren’t from Hassan. The voice of the ladies of Hassan has been lacking all through the agitation in opposition to the actions of Prajwal Revanna. I’m one of many few girls from Hassan who has been vocal concerning the subject. If Prajwal’s crimes are proved in a courtroom of regulation, it’s a heinous crime. An neutral probe should happen and even tackle questions concerning the authenticity of the movies in order that his guilt is established. We’re planning one other protest in Bengaluru on Might 3 the place we’ll tackle all the problems on this scandal.

In line with varied experiences, there are greater than 2,900 movies. Contemplating this magnitude, it has additionally develop into an election subject. What do you consider this?

Elections needs to be fought on just one subject, i.e., improvement. Political events ought to give attention to a pro-people marketing campaign however it’s unlucky that this scandal has develop into a main subject among the many voters and a political dimension has come into this. In Hassan, the movies have been viral a couple of days earlier than the election came about on April 26 and this has had an impression. I concern that this subject may even distract voters in north Karnataka and in different components of the nation diverting the marketing campaign from extra substantive points.

Additionally Learn | Karnataka’s particular investigative group to probe Prajwal Revanna case from three angles

As a resident of Hassan, when did you develop into conscious that these pen drives have been circulating? What was the modus operandi of the individuals who shared these pen drives?

There was an ex-parte injunction order from a Bengaluru Civil Court docket in opposition to 89 media retailers and people in opposition to the sharing of movies of Prajwal. This order was granted in June final 12 months. As per this, nobody may telecast or write about these movies and so they couldn’t be circulated on social media. So then, how may the movies be shared? Whoever wished to share these movies got here up with an concept to share the movies through pen drives. 1000’s of those pen drives with the obscene movies have been readied and scattered throughout Hassan.

Somebody strolling within the park within the morning would discover these pen drives. Equally, fistfuls of those pen drives have been scattered in locations the place folks congregate resembling bus stands and markets. These pen drives have been shared in three levels between April 22 and April 26 with every consignment containing new movies and new victims. The one who shared the movies stored a detailed monitor of the repercussions of the movies on the general public. After these pen drives have been discovered, they have been additional circulated to a whole lot over WhatsApp spreading like wildfire all around the district. Rumours that there was a courtroom order prohibiting the sharing of those movies and that telephones can be seized additionally unfold. After this, most individuals have deleted these movies from their telephones and copied it on pen drives.

Now that the SIT has been shaped by the State authorities, an FIR has additionally been filed in Holenarasipur in opposition to H. D. Revanna and Prajwal Revanna. What do you consider this improvement?

I’ve not seen the movies however in one in every of them, an aged woman who is claimed to be 68 years previous is pleading with Prajwal to save lots of her. She even mentions that she fed his grandfather (former prime minister H. D. Devegowda) and father (MLA H. D. Revanna) however regardless of this he rapes her. Within the FIR that has been recorded, sections of rape haven’t been included, which is fallacious.

What Prajwal did was fallacious and this needs to be confirmed in a courtroom of regulation however the investigation group also needs to give attention to who distributed these pen drives. They need to even be taken to job and punished. This scandal has affected many households in Hassan. There’s a authorized safety concerning the modesty of girls. Even when a rape sufferer is examined in a courtroom of regulation, the proceedings are carried out in digicam which means that no one besides the advocates, decide and clerical employees is current. This Constitutional safety that’s given to safeguard girls’s modesty was not there on this case which is extremely deplorable.

Eminent girls resembling chartered accountants, anchors of reports channels, politicians and even a policewoman have been proven in these movies. This additionally reveals the ability of Revanna and his son as no political or administrative appointment will be made in Hassan with out their authority.

Contemplating that the movies have been circulating a couple of days earlier than the elections came about, ought to the Election Fee (EC) have taken cognisance of the problem?

Sure, the EC ought to have taken cognisance of this subject as everybody knew of the movies and they need to have promptly disqualified Prajwal’s candidature. Nobody gave a grievance however on April 25, a day earlier than the election, at the very least one distinguished Kannada information channel aired this subject by way of the day and evening. The EC may have simply taken observe of this.