Modi bigger actor than me: Prakash Raj

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the murder a month ago of journalist Gauri Lankesh is why popular south Indian actor Prakash Raj says he wants to return his National awards. He says ‘bigger actors’, including the PM, deserve the honours instead.

"Some of those people who celebrated her (Gauri's) murder are followed by our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) on Twitter. We have a PM who shuts his eyes to this," he said, adding: “Gauri's killers have not been caught yet.

But what is more disappointing is people celebrating her murder over social media spreading hatred." He was speaking at the 11th state meet of the Democratic Youth Federation of India in
Bengaluru.

Immediately hitting out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Raj said, "When you look at the kind of statements he (Adityanath) makes, you don't understand whether he's a Chief Minister or a priest." "He (Adityanath) is a better actor than me. I think I must give out all my five National awards to him," he said on a sarcastic note.

Raj, a popular actor in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil film industries, has won five National Film Awards for his movies. The 55-year-old editor of Kannada weekly tabloid by her name "Gauri Lankesh Patrike" was gunned down by unidentified men outside her home in the city suburbs on September 5.

The Special Investigation Team set up to probe the murder is yet to nab her killers. However, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli, however, said that Prakash Raj should target his anger at the Congress because it runs Karnataka.

"It is a case of misplaced priorities because what this gentleman should have done is actually ask the question to the Cong govt of the state because the police come under the state. Why haven't they found the killers?" Kohli remarked.