New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting that the government cancel the diplomatic passport issued to Janata Dal (Secular)’s Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna — at the centre of a scandal over obscene videos purportedly featuring him — to ensure that he can return to India to join the probe.
After the videos were leaked, JD(S) suspended Prajwal from the party. A criminal case was registered against him and his father H.D. Revanna — brother of former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and son of former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda — by one of the victims on 28 April.
As a Member of Parliament (MP), Prajwal is entitled to a diplomatic passport besides his normal passport. A diplomatic passport accords its holder certain privileges, including immunity from arrest and detention in the host country, and access to diplomatic channels and services provided by Indian embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is yet to respond. However, if Prajwal was indeed travelling on a diplomatic passport, rules say he needs to apply for a prior political clearance even for a private visit, which includes tourism or visiting friends and relatives.
The latest Parliament Bulletin issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat ahead of the interim budget session, states: “Members, when using diplomatic passport, are required to apply for prior political clearance directly to the Ministry of External Affairs by using the link www.epolclearance.gov.in and ensure that before proceeding abroad the requisite political clearance has been obtained. Requests may kindly be made at least three weeks in advance”.
The bulletin also categorically specifies that the rule is also applicable for private visits, which include tourism or visiting friends and relatives. In case of official visits, political clearance from MEA would be sought by the respective house secretariats on behalf of the members, the rule notes.
However, a diplomatic passport is not meant to be used when travelling abroad for private business. Significantly, the rules make a distinction between ‘private visit’ and ‘private business’. While the former, as explained earlier, means tourism or visiting friends and relatives, the latter is a foreign visit by an MP in his or her personal capacity for private business affairs, such as participating in seminars or conferences.
In this context, the rule further states: “It may kindly be ensured that none of their activities during those visits give an unintended impression that members are on an official visit on behalf of the Indian Parliament”.
Diplomatic passports to MPs are issued by the MEA’s Consular, Passport & Visa Division. According to MEA’s revised instructions, MPs and their spouses desirous of having diplomatic passports will have to apply online on the ministry website and then send a printout of the signed document to the Conference & Protocol Section along with two copies of recent coloured photographs with white background.
“Members or their spouses who have been issued any other passport in their names may also enclose the same with the application forms for being kept in safe custody,” the rule states.
Prior to the commencement of every session, information about the parliamentary customs and etiquette required to be observed by members is published in Parliamentary Bulletin Part-II.
Revanna’s lawyer Arun G. from the law firm Jus Lex said it is not possible for him to confirm if Revanna was travelling on a diplomatic passport.
ThePrint has also reached the MEA by text messages. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
Also Read: ‘Didn’t give clips to Congress’ — Prajwal Revanna’s ex-driver claims he gave pen drive to BJP leader
Members need to inform Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha before visit abroad
It is not just the MEA that needs to be informed if an MP is travelling abroad.
MPs are required to send information of their visit abroad stating the purpose to the presiding officer of the respective houses — the Speaker in case of Lok Sabha, and the Chairman in case of Rajya Sabha — at least three weeks in advance, so that the MEA and the concerned Indian Mission/Post could be informed.
A Lok Sabha Secretariat official, who did not want to be named, told ThePrint that though it isn’t mandatory, it is expected that MPs will inform the presiding officers. He also said: “Most of the time, when members are visiting abroad on a private visit, they do not inform”.
Revanna is once again contesting from Hassan, this time as the joint candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the JD(S), which formed a pre-poll alliance in Karnataka.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
Also Read: Karnataka sets up SIT to probe ‘obscene videos’ case involving Deve Gowda’s grandson Prajwal Revanna