‘If watching porn in Vidhana Soudha is not a crime, then what is?’

Bengaluru: Law and parliamentary affairs minister J.C. Madhuswamy's defence of deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi watching porn in the state legislature when he was a minister in 2012, has come in for strong objection from the Congress, which has questioned his induction into the Yediyurappa cabinet.

In a rebuttal to Mr Madhuswamy's comments, senior Congress leader, V. S. Ugrappa on Friday mockingly asked if the ruling BJP would start screening porn in public places, including the corridors of Vidhana Soudha, if it did not see it as a crime.

Speaking to reporters here, he said if watching porn was not wrong, why was Mr Savadi asked to resign as minister in 2012 by the then BJP government.

“If Mr Madhuswamy feels that watching porn is not an anti-national act, will he take steps to screen it in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha and in all public places?" he demanded, adding that the minister should behave responsibly and not say whatever he felt like on such issues.

Also lashing out at the BJP, Mr Ugrappa maintained the its mask of being a "defender of Indian culture" was slowly wearing thin.

“Is this the way BJP ministers want to defend the Indian culture? One minister wants to supply liquor through on-line platforms the way medicines and milk are supplied, while another is trying to suggest that watching porn isn't a crime. I didn't know that the BJP has come to this just to remain in power,” he said

Mr Madhuswamy had come to the defence of Mr Savadi recently, saying "watching porn inside the Vidhan Soudha was not an anti-national act in this country," and that he was watching it "accidentally" in the legislature when he was caught in the act.