What the Prajwal Revanna case reveals about the struggles of women in politics
Informal working conditions and frequent interactions with powerful men leave women political workers immensely vulnerable.
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After news broke at the end of April of the alleged abuse of at least tens of women by Hassan’s member of parliament Prajwal Revanna, Gowri K was the second woman to make a formal statement against him. Based on her statement, police filed a first-information report against Prajwal.
Gowri is a member of a zilla parishad in Hassan. In her statement, she recounted one meeting with Prajwal, the grandson of the former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. She needed to discuss the possibility of procuring places for female college students in welfare hostels in Hassan run by the Department of Backward Classes.
When Gowri arrived at Prajwal’s official residence in Hassan, there were many people waiting to speak with him. He asked her to proceed to the first floor and wait. “There were many women there and I was the last one remaining to speak with him,” she said. “When it was my turn, he asked me to come into a room.”
When she went in, Gowri said, he grabbed her by the hand and pushed her onto a bed. He then ordered her to take off her clothes. Confused and frightened, Gowri refused and asked him to let her go. He told her that...
