I will never join any political party, says actor Prakash Raj
Bengaluru, Jan 18: Actor Prakash Raj, who recently announced his decision to contest the coming Lok Sabha election, said Friday he would never join any political party, alleging the parties were not honest.
Raj said he had decided to contest the election as an Independent from the Bengaluru-Central constituency as "I cannot stay in any party for more than three months."
"I want to be the voice of the people," he said at a press conference here.
The critically-acclaimed actor, who has been active politically ever since the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh here on September 5, 2017, had announced his foray into politics more than a fortnight ago.
Asked whether the anger with which he has taken a plunge into politics would help him, he said, "There should be anger against dishonest people."
Known for his anti-BJP stand, Raj distanced himself from the present turmoil in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka over alleged attempts to dislodge it by the saffron party.
"At the time of (May assembly) elections I knew whom I am opposed to but I did not support anyone. I have no connection with their squabbling," Raj said.
Coming down on the BJP with regard to its alleged attempt to topple the coalition government, Raj said, "The BJP is a bunch of shameless people."
"They call themselves 'gau bhakts' (worshippers of cow) but on an important festival of worshipping cow (Makar Sankranti), they camped in a resort in Delhi instead of being at home," he said.
The BJP MLAs were camping at a luxury hotel in Gurugram, a move the party has defended saying it was to protect their lawmakers from poaching attempts by the ruling coalition in the state, Raj said.
Asked to comment on the Congress's view that his contesting election from the Bengaluru-Central constituency would weaken the secular forces, the actor said, "I welcome secular parties supporting me but if the Congress says that my contesting election as Independent will take away secular votes then let them support me."
To a question, Raj said he was not averse to joining the "Mahagathbandhan", the grand alliance of anti-BJP parties against "communal" forces.
He said he decided to contest the election from Bengaluru-Central because he grew up in the area where the electorate was secular in nature.
The Lok Sabha seat is presently held by the BJP's P C Mohan.
Raj earlier claimed that Bollywood filmmakers stopped offering him roles as he has been critical of the Narendra Modi-led government.
Raj is the latest celebrity to join politics from the South after Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Someone must be held accountable': HC converts civil suit on Goa nightclub tragedy into PIL
Panaji (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) saying "someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy in which 25 people were killed.In a stern observation, Goa bench of the High Court of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ashish Chavan said the local panchayat had "failed to take suo motu cognisance" of the club and had taken "no action despite complaints."
The division bench directed the Goa government to file a detailed reply on the permissions granted to the nightclub.
The High Court, while fixing January 8 as the next date of hearing, pointed out that commercial operations were continuing in the structure despite it having been served a demolition order.
The original petition was filed after the December 6 tragedy by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, the owners of the land on which the nightclub was operating.
ALSO READ: Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Advocate Rohit Bras de Sa, the lawyer representing the petitioner, was made amicus curiae in the matter and has been asked to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.
In their petition, Amonkar and Divkar highlighted "the alarming pattern of statutory violations that have remained inadequately addressed despite multiple complaints, inspections, show-cause notices, and even a demolition order".
They contended that these violations posed "immediate threats to public safety, ecological integrity, and the rule of law in the state of Goa."
Investigations by multiple agencies into the nightclub fire have revealed various irregularities, including lack of permissions to operate the nightclub.
The Goa police arrested five managers and staff members of the club, while co-owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra have been detained in Thailand after they fled the country.
