Actor Prakash Raj's tweet mocking 'Chandrayaan 3' goes viral, stirs controversy
Mumbai, Aug 21: Actor Prakash Raj was trolled on Monday for a post on X, formerly Twitter, viewed by many as mocking India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 and responded by saying, "hate sees only hate" and he was referring to an old joke.
On Sunday, Raj shared a cartoon showing a man in a shirt and sarong pouring tea. He captioned the cartoon in Kannada, writing, "Latest news: First view just arrived from the Chandrayaan #VikramLander #justasking".
While the actor did not specify the man in the cartoon, many social media users slammed the actor for making fun of former ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) chief K Sivan.
Among them was Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi.
"I condemn Prakash Raj for this shameful tweet. Success of ISRO is success of India," he wrote.
Chandrayaan-3, launched on July 14, is ready to touch down on the Moon's south pole on August 23. It will be the first to land on the lunar south pole. On Sunday, India's space agency specified it would do so at 6.04 pm.
In a tweet on Monday, the actor said his earlier tweet was referring to an old joke from the era of Neil Armstrong, the American astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969.
"Hate sees only Hate... i was referring to a joke of #Armstrong times.. celebrating our Kerala Chaiwala.. which Chaiwala did the TROLLS see?? .. if you don't get a joke then the joke is on you.. Grow up #justasking(sic)," Raj tweeted.
The actor's tweet left many users angry on social media, with one of the users even asking Raj, known to be vocal against the government, to keep political hate away from ISRO's achievements.
"Prakashji, this Chandrayan mission is from ISRO not BJP. If it gets succeed, it's for India not for any party (sic). Why you want this mission to fail? BJP is just a ruling party. It will go one day. But ISRO will remain for years and will make us proud (sic)," he wrote on X.
Some others felt the National Award winning actor had taken his criticism of the BJP too far with his latest post.
"He is making fun of an achievement that the world considers a milestone," wrote another user.
"You have stooped so low.. feel ashamed that you are a fellow countryman !! I am proud of ISRO !! Jai Hind."
Raj, who has made his mark in films such as "Kanchivaram", "Singham" and "Wanted", contested as an independent candidate for Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 general elections and lost.
Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
BREAKING NEWS:-
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) August 20, 2023
First picture coming from the Moon by #VikramLander Wowww #justasking pic.twitter.com/RNy7zmSp3G
Hate sees only Hate.. i was referring to a joke of #Armstrong times .. celebrating our kerala Chaiwala .. which Chaiwala did the TROLLS see ?? .. if you dont get a joke then the joke is on you .. GROW UP #justasking https://t.co/NFHkqJy532
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) August 21, 2023
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After water contamination tragedy, MP CM orders safe supply for all
Bhopal (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that ensuring the supply of safe drinking water to every citizen was the responsibility of urban local bodies and directed officials to prevent the supply of contaminated water under all circumstances.
Yadav's directive came after seven persons died in Indore's Bhagirathpura area recently following a diarrhoea outbreak triggered by the consumption of contaminated water.
Yadav is also the guardian minister of Indore, ranked as the country's cleanest city.
The Opposition Congress, which has sought the resignation of MP Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya in whose constituency the tragedy took place, is scheduled to hold a massive protest over the water contamination deaths in Indore on Sunday.
Addressing a high-level meeting at the airport here after returning from a visit to Sagar district, CM Yadav on Saturday launched a state-wide 'Swachh Jal Abhiyan' (Clean Water Campaign) aimed at ensuring safe drinking water in both rural and urban areas, a government statement said.
He said the quality of drinking water must be tested regularly and alternative arrangements should be made immediately if contamination is detected.
"This is a big challenge, but it must be addressed with seriousness so that the state can set an example for the country," Yadav added.
The chief minister said the government was committed to better management to provide pure drinking water to all and called upon public representatives and officials to discharge their responsibilities efficiently.
The Clean Water Campaign will be conducted in two phases - the first from January 10 to February 28 and the second from March 1 to March 31.
As part of the initiative, 'Jal Sunwai' (water grievance hearings) will also be organised to address drinking water-related issues of citizens, the CM said, asking officials to take these hearings seriously.
Yadav directed that all pipeline leakages be repaired promptly to ensure safe drinking water from a public health perspective and stressed that clean water should reach every household.
He appreciated the use of a mobile application by the urban administration department for monitoring the initiative.
Warning of strict action, the chief minister said any laxity in the supply of clean drinking water would not be tolerated.
The campaign, launched through video conferencing, focuses on water security, its conservation and grievance redressal. It includes cleaning of all water purification units and drinking water storage tanks, with monitoring through a GIS-based mapping application.
Under the initiative, water and sewage pipelines will be mapped on GIS platforms, interconnection points will be identified, and leakages will be checked, including through robotic inspection. Regular testing of drinking water sources and monitoring of sewage treatment plants will also be undertaken.
The government has also made special arrangements to register drinking water-related complaints on the helpline number 181. Applications related to drinking water problems will be resolved within a stipulated time frame and applicants will be informed accordingly.
Vijayvargiya, mayors, district panchayat presidents, divisional commissioners, collectors, municipal commissioners, CEOs of district panchayats and public representatives from urban and rural areas participated in the meeting via video conferencing.
Additional Chief Secretary for Urban Development and Housing, Sanjay Dubey, made a presentation on water security, conservation and grievance redressal, stating that continuous public awareness activities would be conducted through various media.
He said people would also be able to get water quality tested at nominal charges, and the initiative would be linked with the Swachh Bharat Mission, with support from health and women and child development departments.
