Bengaluru: Noted actor Prakash Raj has said that he was not entering politics, but would air his opinion on issues affecting the country, be it demonetisation, GST or Gauri Lankesh murder, and deplored online trolls and their below the belt tactics. While addressing reporters at press club on Sunday, the national award winning actor said he was not in favour of actors joining politics. I respect superstars Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Kannada actor Upendra as artistes, but that does not mean I would accept them as political leaders due to their fame. I will see the manifesto and how they fulfill it, he added.
The actor said he had travelled through the country and found that political parties everywhere had failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people. “I don’t like to be the face of any party and I don’t like to take the sin of the party, because of its past history. Even if I am innocent, I would be expected to answer the questions on their behalf,” he said. The actor also deplored the rising intolerance in the country and the menace of online trolls in the social media. Internet trolls have been hitting at the thought process of the social media users since the last three years and it is a dangerous trend.
Prakash’s recent tweets on demonetisation and GST had created a buzz in social media. “I am not against the Central government. When you talk about GST, it’s not just Modi who brought it or the ruling party who brought. Every party in the state and chief ministers were involved, now you can’t blame Modi for it. What I asked was if hand made products can come under zero categories, since they are badly hit our rural economy.”
He also deplored the personal remarks made by BJP leader and Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha against him. “He should understand. I don't even know him. When I questioned the prime minister, you (Simha) talk below the belt? They believe their leaders are doing a good job, so nobody should question them," he said. Without taking any names, he said the advertising firm told him his name has been mired in a controversy and so it could not be broadcast. He said even Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan have faced similar situations in the past.
