Country is burning, but PM is maintaining ‘dead silence’: Prakash Rai
Freedom of Expression convention
Bengaluru, September 5: “One year has gone after my birth in Gauri. I am walking as if a new-born baby which has all pain, injustice and frustration, tells me to do so”, said noted actor and director Prakash Rai.
Speaking at a programme organized to mark the first anniversary of the murder of Gauri Lankesh, here on Wednesday, he said that “we have spoken a lot in the last one year. We expressed our anger, indignation, helplessness and pains very openly. When we lost Gauri a year ago, we have pointed towards somebody and now, all the investigations are also telling the same thing”, he said.
“We have to change our fights. Otherwise, they will change the good virtue of the people. We should think by forgetting our pain and Gauri. Gauri is a story which has no end. She has exposed the injustice and curiosity through her sacrifice. With this, the conspiracies to kill Kalburgi, Pansare and Dabholkar are clearly visible”, he said.
The dams were getting more water than their capacity. Now, the dams have to be broken. Powerful people would come to power and trying to keep the power by doing more murders and attacks. People have become sheep. Who will be going to protect them? When those who are at the helm of affairs were the murderers, who will protect them? They themselves have to protect, he added.
“Today, more than humanity, Hindu religion should be protected. Common people should be educated about it. We will all die one day. We are not eternal. But what is the method of dying? Till our death, we will have our life. Gauri, Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi have not died naturally. They were killed. They were killed yesterday and tomorrow, we will be in their places”, he lamented.
“We were making mockery of Manmohan Singh as dumb. But now there is a Prime Minister. He is always silent. This is very dangerous. This is a demon-like silence. Though the country is burning, he is silent. Observing everything silently, he is encouraging the murderers. The words of Modi have become like disclaimers on the cigarette packs that ‘smoking is injurious to health’. Everyone should understand this”, Rai said.
“We are being targeted as urban naxals and anti-developments. Thus, they have been doing conspiracy very systematically. We should be alert over this conspiracy”, he said.
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Chandrashekhar Swamiji apologises for remark on denying voting rights to Muslims
"If my statement has upset our Muslim brothers, I deeply regret it."
Bengaluru: Kumara Chandrashekharanath Swamiji, head of the Vishva Okkaliga Mahasansthana Mutt, has expressed regret over his controversial statement suggesting that "Muslims should be denied voting rights."
In a press release, Swamiji clarified, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
He further added, "Okkaligas are inherently tolerant of all religions. We have always treated people of every faith equally. Our Mutt maintains cordial relations with Muslims, and they frequently visit us. Similarly, we attend their weddings and other joyous occasions. Hence, there is no intolerance towards this community." Swamiji appealed to the public to disregard the controversy surrounding his remark.
The controversial statement was made during a farmers' rally, ‘Raita Gharjana,’ organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Karnataka Pradesh, at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Swamiji had said, "A law should be enacted to deny voting rights to the Muslim community, and the Wakf Board should be abolished."
The remark drew widespread criticism from political leaders and the public alike. Following the backlash, Swamiji issued his apology, stating, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
