The Prajwal Revanna episode is a symptom of the culture of impunity that prevails in Indian politics, especially among politicians who see themselves as local influencers. On Tuesday, the Janata Dal (Secular) suspended sitting MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of the party patriarch Deve Gowda, from the party after police booked him for alleged sexual assault of multiple women. The police action came after the voting in Hassan, where Prajwal is the JD(S)-BJP candidate. Reports suggest that local leaders had raised apprehensions about repeating Prajwal in the wake of reports about video clips highlighting his behaviour. Yet he landed the nomination and political heavyweights, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigned for him, presumably because he was the sitting MP and endorsing him was essential to keep the Gowda clan, necessary for the transfer of JD(S) votes to the BJP, happy. A similar predicament seems to be holding back the BJP from declaring its candidate from Kaiserganj (UP), where sitting MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused by Olympians of sexually harassing women wrestlers, expects to be renominated. Singh, reportedly, has the resources to influence outcomes in multiple Lok Sabha constituencies, and, hence, wants to be appreciated. And the same seems to have played a part in the Congress’ nomination of Lal Singh, a former Congressman who moved to the BJP, then hit the headlines for his vocal support of the accused in the heinous Kathua rape and murder of a minor.

The Prajwal Revanna episode is a symptom of the culture of impunity that prevails in Indian politics, especially among politicians who see themselves as local influencers. On Tuesday, the Janata Dal (Secular) suspended sitting MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of the party patriarch Deve Gowda, from the party after police booked him for alleged sexual assault of multiple women. The police action came after the voting in Hassan, where Prajwal is the JD(S)-BJP candidate. Reports suggest that local leaders had raised apprehensions about repeating Prajwal in the wake of reports about video clips highlighting his behaviour. Yet he landed the nomination and political heavyweights, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigned for him, presumably because he was the sitting MP and endorsing him was essential to keep the Gowda clan, necessary for the transfer of JD(S) votes to the BJP, happy. A similar predicament seems to be holding back the BJP from declaring its candidate from Kaiserganj (UP), where sitting MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused by Olympians of sexually harassing women wrestlers, expects to be renominated. Singh, reportedly, has the resources to influence outcomes in multiple Lok Sabha constituencies, and, hence, wants to be appreciated. And the same seems to have played a part in the Congress’ nomination of Lal Singh, a former Congressman who moved to the BJP, then hit the headlines for his vocal support of the accused in the heinous Kathua rape and murder of a minor.

That this tendency, which has cross-party resonance, has prevailed despite elections moving away from fractured verdicts to decisive outcomes is truly surprising, and disturbing. Political parties seem to privilege the allegiance of these influencers over the damage to their own image — and political morality. This has bred a culture of impunity among a section of the political class, who invoke their political, caste, or class inheritance to brazen out the consequences of their crimes. It is heartening that those at the receiving end of the depravations of the influential now seek redress in the criminal justice system rather than stay quiet. However, closure takes time as such cases often become a battle of attrition in the courts.

It is nobody’s case that due process should be given the short shrift and the accused denied a hearing. Nor should the circumstances be ignored; the scandal broke when half of Karnataka is yet to vote. That, and, possibly, factionalism may have forced the JD(S) to distance itself from the accused. However, the principle that should guide parties in such situations is that the people in public life need to have high moral standards. That may sound antiquated at a time when winning seems to be the only thing that matters.