Prakash Raj has been a vocal anti-BJP voice ever since his friend Gowri Lankesh had been murdered by unknown assailants. He has used every available opportunity to criticize the BJP and the Prime Minister. In his pursuit, he has not failed to lie repeatedly, in order to suit his agenda.
Now the south Indian actor is in the race for the hypocrite of the year award. He had refused to make any comment on the river dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka a year ago. Raj had said that he would only speak on cinema and not governance.
Raj says no comments on Kaveri dispute, walks out of interview
While being interviewed by a local channel named Janasri news on October 1 on his cinema ‘Idolle Ramayana‘, Prakash Raj had walked out because of a question on the Kaveri river water dispute. He had asked the media to be responsible while speaking on sensitive issues.
The anchor asked Prakash Raj : There is a Ramayana going in the state since one month. What do you think of the Kaveri issue. Is the SC right or wrong?
Prakash Raj replied : Actor, director, producer Prakash Raj is here to talk about films. Politics is a totally different issue. This issue is a very important, deep and sensitive topic. People are already angry. Water is not the only issue affecting farmers alone. Why do you want to drag me into controversy? You must relay this comment of mine to the people. Never come to me again.
The video of this episode is below :
On the Mahadayi dispute
However, in the case of Mahadayi river dispute he made a veiled attack on the BJP. This time he has nothing to lose and a lot to gain by presenting himself as a Kannadiga and an anti-BJP figure in the society.
Prakash Raj, in a short video posted on his Twitter profile requested all governments and parties to stop politicising the Mahadayi river dispute. He said that the Kannadigas have a right over river [Mahadayi] water flowing through Kalasa Banduri.
ಮಹದಾಯಿ ಹೋರಾಟ…ನನ್ನ ಮನವಿ…. pic.twitter.com/QuPfDjwUbU
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 25, 2018
‘Party that is elected in a democracy should work for all people. Having a government in center and other states will not solve the issue. Making such a claim is a lie’ he claimed. This comment was solely directed at Amit Shah, state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa and Goa CM Manohar Parikkar who are working over a possible solution to the dispute.
“This problem is not un-solvable. Let us fight and get our rights [over the water]. I stand with the people on this issue,” Raj said. He asked the leaders of various parties not to politicize the river dispute. Further, he asked them to set aside their ideologies and not beg for votes using this issue.
Karanataka is #JustAsking Prakash Raj
The question that all Kannadigas are asking on social media is, where does Prakash Raj’s true loyalties lie? Does he change his stance based on the situation? Is he an opportunist and hypocrite? What is the source of his sudden love for Karnataka?
‘Actor’ @prakashraaj & tale of 2 rivers.
Pic 1: When asked a question on Kaveri issue, walked out angrily. He’s just an actor & it is a political issue (business interests in TN?)
Pic 2: Wades into Mahadayi row, spreads false narratives against BJP.
Sudden Karnataka love? pic.twitter.com/mLoDjjffAo
— pracchannAstrin (@WordOfTheFree) January 25, 2018
Is Raj’s change in policy on speaking on river disputes because he is a multi-lingual actor who has commercial stakes in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu? And is he playing up his ‘Kannada’ identity in the Mahadayi water dispute between Karnataka and Goa as he has no commercial stake in Goa’s cinema industry? #JustAsking..
