Bengaluru: They say the memory of the public is very short, but the public memory is not short enough to forget a name that was linked to the disgraceful porn-gate controversy that rocked the Karnataka state assembly in 2012.

Two Karnataka MLAs hit the headlines after they were caught watching pornographic video on a mobile, inside the Assembly, when the house was in the middle of a heated debate on the hoisting of the Pakistani flag at Sindagi in Bijapur district. Close up shots and pictures of the two MLAs busy watching an explicit video was all over the media and one of the MLAs engaged in the act was none other than Laxman Savadi, who was then the minister for co-operation and agricultural marketing, His watch partner was CC Patil, who was ironically the minister for Women and Child Welfare. Though he had tendered an explanation that he was watching the video for ‘educational purpose’ as he was due to discuss the proposal of banning pornographic content in the state, the damage was done. 

Once tainted and forced to quit, today Savadi is back and that too as one of the three Deputy Chief Ministers of the state government led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Ironically, Savadi who is neither a member of the Assembly nor the Council finds himself suddenly catapulted to the position of DCM. BJP insiders say that this position is the reward he got from the BJP for working very hard to dismantle the coalition government by getting 17 MLAs out of the government.
However, a host of senior BJP leaders have already spoken out against Savadi’s appointment to the key post. Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah too has thundered against the BJP. Speaking to reporters at Athani in Belagavi, Siddaramaiah has questioned if the BJP had any shame left with them.

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “This government is full of comedy. Jail-return is CM [BS Yediyurappa] and person who watched porn is deputy CM.”