Just a day after Rajinikanth announced his entry into politics, actor Prakash Raj criticised communal elements in Karnataka and said that he is ready to join politics if someone challenges him to do it.
He was speaking after receiving the Person of the Year award presented by Bengaluru Press Club. “Of late, communal politics is gaining importance in the country. We (sensible people) must raise voice against such authoritarian and majoritarian politics which was prevalent during the Hitler's regime, which was known for its chauvinistic stance that a single religion must rule the world. But it is gaining ground in our country too. We must not let this happen. Therefore, if someone challenges me to take a plunge into politics, I am ready for it," he said according to a report by Deccan Chronicle.
He criticised communal forces for using violent means to achieve their goals. “These violent forces must be taught a lesson by defeating them. We must visit each individual house in the state to educate about these forces and this will help us in defeating them in the forthcoming elections,” he added.
Prakash Raj dissociated himself from political aspirations or having a preference for a particular party but he asserted that he will always be opposed to communal and fascist forces.
The actor has been outspoken in his criticism of BJP leaders including Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. In October, he claimed that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was a better actor than him. More recently, he sent a legal notice to BJP MP Pratap Simha for making derogatory and personal remarks against him. He also criticised MP Anantkumar Hegde for linking nationalism and Hindutva in a recent speech.
In a speech made in Belagavi on the occasion of Ambedkar’s death anniversary on December 6, Prakash Raj had said, “To say that nationalism and Hindutva are one and the same is the new blind belief.”