‘Whisky after sundown. And women’: This former K’taka CM had publicly admitted his fondness for ‘women’

Bengaluru: BJP leader Ramesh Jarakiholi tendered his resignation from the ministerial post on Wednesday citing moral grounds after being embroiled in a ‘sex for job scandal’. However, this is not the first time that the state witnessed sex scandals involving its political leaders albeit very few would dare to publicly admit their vices.

If we rewind to the late 90s, the then Chief Minister of Karnataka JH Patel had candidly admitted about his fondness for women and wine in an interview to a satellite TV channel.

His ‘Whisky after sundown. And women’ remarks had stirred a huge public outcry in Bengaluru and few even appreciated the Janata Dal leader for his honesty.

JH Patel on his part was unrepentant and had stated that he was not answerable to anybody other than his wife. Only she has to forgive me, he had said then.

This was just among the few controversies courted by JH Patel. Amid the opposition to the Miss World contest organised in Bangalore, Patel responded saying, “Those who want to show will show. Those who want to see will see.”

He also took a jibe at those protesting saying “too old to see and appreciate the good things in life”. And later, he had this to say about protests by women’s groups: “Only the ugly ones are protesting. All the pretty ones are telling me they support the beauty contest.”

Cutback to recent times, there have been several ministers who have been embroiled in sex scandals. A few of them include:

Prakash Rathod
Recently Congress leader Prakash Rathod was found browsing through obscene clips on his mobile phone while Karnataka’s Legislative Council was in session causing much embarassment to his party. Rathod later said he was not watching the clip rather deleting unwanted messages.

Renukacharya
A nurse had accused politician MP Renukacharya of sexual harassment and even released photos to support her claim. She alleged that following this revelation she had received threat calls. Renukacharya had to resign from his position.

Laxman Savadi
The present Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka too was embroiled in a porngate controversy after he, Krishna Palemar and CC Patil were caught on camera watching phonographic clips inside Karnataka Assembly in 2012. They were ministers then.

Hartalu Halappa
The BJP Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Hartalu Halappa was charged with raping his friend’s wife in 2009. The minister had to resign in light of the allegations, but was later acquitted in 2017. The court said that the prosecution failed to get enough evidence.

HY Meti
Congress leader and then excise minister resigned from his post after a sex tape of him was leaked in 2016.

Arvind Limbavali
In 2019, a tape of BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali fondling a party worker had gone viral. He had said he was a victim of a fake video. Later in December 2019, a forensic report said the video was fake.