The back-slapping men’s club
In this image provided by DIPR, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal speaks during the Budget session of the State Assembly, in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: DIPR
In 2012, Ministers in the then BJP government in Karnataka, Laxman Savadi and C.C. Patil, were forced to resign from the Cabinet after they were caught on camera purportedly watching a porn clip. The two, besides the owner of the phone, Krishna Palemar, who also resigned, eventually emerged unscathed in the inquiry by the House committee for “lack of evidence.” This incident is among the many in Karnataka that are referred to as “sex scandals” — an umbrella term that is used to refer to a range of sexually inappropriate behaviours. BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiho...