JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy behind circulation of explicit videos, alleges Deputy CM Shivakumar
Chikkamgaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday charged JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy with being behind the circulation of explicit videos allegedly linked to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, and called him "king of blackmailing" and the "lead,director, and producer of the story."
Shivakumar, also the state Congress President, was reacting to Kumaraswamy demanding his dismissal from the Cabinet, dubbing him a "key conspirator" in the circulation of alleged sex videos.
The 33-year-old JD(S) MP, who is Kumaraswamy's nephew, is facing sexual abuse charges. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
While the Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) -- NDA partners -- have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI.
"Kumaraswamy knows about the pen-drive (containing explicit video clips) matter completely. A lawyer (Devaraje Gowda) and others are speaking. Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) wants my resignation, it seems there is competition for Vokkaliga leadership. Let me give resignation, as he wants it," Shivakumar said sarcastically.
While speaking to reporters here, he said, "Finishing (politically) one after the other is his (Kumaraswamy) job. Blackmailing, (Kumaraswamy is) king of blackmail...he is threatening everyone, officers, politicians, what else he has for doing? Let him do it, there is time to discuss all this, let's discuss in the Assembly."
Kumaraswamy on Tuesday had claimed that 25,000 pen drives with videos of women being sexually abused allegedly by his nephew, Lok Sabha election candidate Prajwal Revanna, were distributed before polls, and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of a conspiracy.
The former CM also had sought to discredit the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Congress government on April 28 to probe the charges against Prajwal of sexually abusing several women after videos allegedly involving him started making the rounds on social media.
Kumaraswamy said his name and that of his father H D Deve Gowda should not be taken or linked to the explicit video clips case, as the Revanna family is seperate, Shivakumar pointed out and asked, "then why is he (Kumaraswamy) worried about the matter that is not linked to him? Having already said that action should be taken in accordance with law and the guilty should be punished, why is he speaking?"
"Is he (Kumaraswamy) a lawyer or a judge to issue the judgment? Let him go to court and argue point by point. He has called SIT -- Shivakumar Investigation team and Siddaramaiah Investigation Team, (Congress in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh) Surjewala Investigation Team. He is the lead of the story, he is the director, he is the producer, he is everything. We know what he is up to," he said.
Asked about allegations that Congress was behind the pen-drive circulation, Shivakumar said, "Kumaraswamy is getting things done by the BJP, he is behind everything, let the investigation happen."
"Let those speaking on the issue, if they have any shame, go to the victims' family and try to instill confidence and give them strength," he said.
Reacting to JD(S) staging a protest against him, Shivakumar said, they "can't sleep" without taking his name
"If they don't do it against me, their market won't run, without taking my name they won't get peace of mind, and even you (media) won't show them. More strong more enemies, less strong less enemies, not strong no enemies," he added.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
