B S Yediyurappa and JC Madhuswamy (R)

BENGALURU: “Watching a video (porn) in Vidhana Soudha is not an anti-national activity,” law and parliamentary affairs minister JC Madhuswamy said on Thursday, defending deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi who was forced to resign as a minister in 2012 for watching porn on his mobile phone in the assembly.

As the controversy over Savadi’s appointment as deputy CM refuses to die down, Madhuswamy told reporters in Tumakuru: “It (Savadi’s act) was a mistake, there is no point amplifying it and arguing that he should have not been made a minister now.”

Madhuswamy’s reaction comes in the backdrop of Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s recent attack on BJP for picking Savadi as one of the three deputy chief ministers.

We all make mistakes: Madhuswamy

Does the BJP have any shame,” former CM Siddaramaiah had asked, accusing the party leadership of committing an ethical blunder by elevating Savadi.

“Watching the video was morally wrong, he accidentally switched it on and watched it,” Madhuswamy said. “We all make mistakes and there is no point amplifying them and continuing to criticise him (Savadi). He has not cheated anyone or committed any anti-national activity or indulged in pecuniary activity that calls for punishment. I’m not saying watching the video was correct; what I’m saying is there is no point criticising him for the same.” Madhuswamy said that Savadi was made deputy chief minister keeping in mind his organisational skills which benefited the party during the Maharashtra assembly polls.

“Our leader Amit Shah is more intelligent than all of us — he knows whom to use in which field and when. Savadi’s organisational skills are much stronger than ours,” Madhuswamy added.

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