Actor Prakash Raj on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party National President Amit Shah were “not Hindus”. He denied being “anti-Hindu” himself.
“They call me anti-Hindu, but I am anti-Modi, anti-Shah, anti-[Anantkumar] Hegde,” Raj said. “They are not Hindus. People who support killing are not Hindus.” Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde had in December said that he wanted to “change the Constitution”. He later apologised for the remark.
The actor was speaking during a session “Stand Up, Speak Up and Make Yourself Count” at the India Today South Conclave in Hyderabad. He has often made comments on political events in the country in recent months, and has been critical of the Narendra Modi government.
During the session, Raj also discussed the ban on the film Padmaavat in four states, which the Supreme Court struck down on Thursday. “See there is [the] writing on the wall,” he said. “State governments which banned Padmaavat citing law and order should quit. If they don’t, we, the people, should vote them out.”
He said: “They talk about Rajput pride. I understand if Rajputs of Rajasthan are saying so. But, what does it have to do with those in Gujarat? What [does it have to] do with Haryana?” Gujarat and Haryana had also banned the film.
Raj also said Modi should speak up against right-wing fringe groups and ministers who make controversial remarks. “Whether I have voted for him or not, he is my prime minister,” Raj said. “He must speak up against these people.”
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