Veteran Bollywood actor Om Puri declared pragmatic support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, reasoning that there were no other options available. Om Puri was promoting his upcoming film Project Marathwada, on the subject of farmer suicides, in the national capital when asked about his views on the current government. The actor responded bysaying that now people had no choice but to sit on Modi’s lap, since they have already tried out all other options.
"Abhi dekhiye humare paas to koi choice hai nhi, sivay Modi ji ki godi mein baithne ke. Baaki godiyan humne dekh li hain," the actor said.
Criticizing the Congress for practicing ‘dynasty politics’, the actor said, "Sonia Gandhi thinks of making her son the Prime Minister. Look at his age, his experience, see what he says. Are we fools? Pranab Mukherjee is very much experienced and a very learned statesman and he has been in the Congress for so long. In order to make your son the prime minister, you made him the President," said the actor.
He further went on to say that former prime minister Manmohan Singh was a ‘puppet’ for 15 years, reported ANI.
Although some media houses read the actor’s statement to be hint that he was joining the BJP, earlier this week, the actor also criticised the government and the ruling party for forgetting the slogan of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kissan’.
At a promotion of the film in Ahmedabad, the actor had also criticised the government for trying to efface the history of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
“Why are they talking like this, then? Like there was no contribution of Nehru or Indira Gandhi,” the actor added.
Reacting to journalists’ questions on that occasion, the actor had also accused the various journalists of having hidden political affiliations. “Half of the people here belong to Congress and the other half to BJP.”
Om Puri plays the role of a distressed farmer in the movie directed by Bhavin Wadia.