Porngate: Two MLAs let off, Savadi may face action

Bangalore: The Karnataka Legislature committee probing the porn watching scandal today recommended action against BJP MLA Lakshman S Savadi while letting off legislators CC Patil and J Krishna Palemar for lack of sufficient evidence. On 29 February and 1 March, two senior journalists, representing different news channels, appeared before the panel after summons and were asked questions, a move that evoked a sharp reaction from the mainstream media which saw it as a ploy to train guns on it, rather than focusing on the “accused”. Television footage of Assembly proceedings showed Savadi watching the porn clips and Patil, sitting next to him, also having a look at it, on a mobile phone of Palemar in February, and the three had to quit the next day following a public outrage.[caption id=“attachment_249663” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“BJP’s L Savadi. PTI”]  [/caption] The Speaker constituted a seven-member House panel, comprising four members from BJP, two from the Congress and one from JDS, to probe the episode, but the two opposition parties have boycotted the committee, reducing it to a ruling-party-only panel. The two opposition parties have alleged that probe by the House panel is an exercise to cover up the scandal, arguing that there was no need for it as the three MLAs have admitted to their actions.