C.C. Patil, who quit as Karnataka's women and child development minister on Wednesday for viewing porn in the assembly, had donned the role of the moral police just about a month ago, it has been revealed.
He had advocated a dress code for women, saying skimpy attire invites sexual assault.
As his statement evoked strong protests from civil society groups and disapproval from Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Patil fell back on the usual explanation - that he had been misquoted.
Patil and Laxman Savadi, who has quit as cooperation and agricultural marketing minister, were caught watching a porn clip in the assembly on Tuesday on the cellphone of J. Krishna Palemar, who has stepped down as environment and ports minister.
The three resignations on Wednesday have taken to four the number of BJP ministers to lose office over sex related issues.
Haratalu Halappa quit as food and civil supplies minister in 2010 after he was accused of raping his friend's wife.
BJP legislator M.P. Renukacharya, now the excise minister, has been accused by a nurse, Jayalakshmi, of sexually harassing her.
Major embarrassment
On Tuesday evening, the Karnataka BJP was faced with fresh embarrassment after the incident - inside the assembly.
The two ministers were caught watching porn between 5 pm and 5.30 pm just before the House was adjourned for the day.
Both ministers have denied wrongdoing.
Savadi told Deccan Chronicle: “I was watching a clipping based on a real life incident, where a woman gets raped by a gang of four men and then she is beheaded by these men.”
However, later he changed his story.
“I received an MMS clip from environment minister Mr. Krishna Palemar, on a rave party. I wanted to see how rave parties are organised, what happens in such parties. I wanted to enhance my knowledge about foreign culture.”
Palemar, however, denied he had sent an MMS or that the ministers had his phone.
Patil also said that the clipping was of the rave party on St Mary’s island off the coastal town of Udupi which had been discussed in the house. He told this newspaper: “Wrong message should not go to the people. We tried to see the rave party clipping. I might have watched for three-to-four seconds. I would like to ask you, why should we watch blue films sitting inside the House?”
Staunch followers of former chief minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa camp, and both Lingayats, Mr Patil represents Naragund constituency, while Mr Savadi represents Athani constituency in Belagum district. Both were formerly in the Janata Dal (S) and joined the BJP in 2004.
The BJP state government has been rocked by scandal since it took office in May 2008, with the eloping and suicide of Padmapriya, wife of Udupi BJP MLA Raghupathy Bhat who had an alleged liaison with his friend Atul Rao, and the alleged rape of his friend’s wife by BJP MLA from Shimoga, Haratalu Halappa in 2010.