Quite recently, the Karnataka Home Minister for the Gowda Government, G Parameshwara, proceeded to openly criticize the Centre for its methods for revoking the diplomatic passport issued to absconding Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.
The declaration ensued one day after the MEA stated that it had received a missive from the state government revoking activist Revanna’s passport on May 21.
This contradicts the statements made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in April this year when he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the withdrawal.
Responding to journalists, Parameshwara asked why one wing of the Indian government appeared so out of touch with another, specifically the PMO and the MEA. He sought to know from the Minister: “If the EAM says he received it on May 21.
Then it means the PMO did not inform the Ministry of External Affairs,” he said, further pointing, “What happened to the letter in the Prime Minister’s Office? Was it not given the value it deserved, or did the PMO brief at some level to the External Affairs Ministry?
Another recent incident underscores the dual authority between the state and the Centre wherein Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of JD(S) mascot H. D. Deve Gowda, enjoys shelter despite charges of sexually exploiting women.
This is in line with the ‘Blue Corner Notice’ that Interpol has already released after the formulation of a request by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) associated with the assistance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Parameshwara elaborated that, following the cancellation of the diplomatic passport, Revanna would need to return to India since he lost immunity to live in another country.
To some extent, the state has been trying to fast-track the process, which appears to have reached a deadlock and called the Centre’s reaction into question.
