India
oi-Prakash KL
In
a
speech
that
has
ignited
a
firestorm
on
social
media,
noted
actor
and
vocal
critic
of
the
BJP,
Prakash
Raj,
made
a
series
of
explosive
allegations,
claiming
the
ruling
party’s
agenda
is
the
genocide
and
eradication
of
Muslims
and
other
minorities
from
India.
His
remarks,
delivered
at
an
event
titled
“Longing
for
Justice” organized
by
the
Association
for
Protection
of
Civil
Rights
(APCR)
in
Hyderabad
last
month,
went
viral
on
social
media
on
Tuesday,
drawing
fierce
condemnation
from
BJP
supporters
and
sparking
intense
debate.
Actor
Prakash
Raj,
speaking
at
an
APCR
event
in
Hyderabad,
accused
the
BJP
and
RSS
of
planning
the
genocide
of
Muslims
and
minorities
in
India,
criticizing
democratic
institutions
and
citing
events
like
the
PM’s
actions
on
Constitution
Day.
Addressing
the
audience,
Raj
left
little
room
for
ambiguity,
stating,
“Please
try
to
understand
whatever
is
happening
in
this
country
is
a
preparation
of
a
genocide.
They
want
to
wipe
out
Muslims.
They
want
to
wipe
out
tribal
people,
minorities.
That
is
their
agenda.”
He
framed
this
as
the
central
objective
of
the
BJP
and
its
ideological
parent,
the
Rashtriya
Swayamsevak
Sangh
(RSS).
The
actor
built
his
argument
on
a
sweeping
critique
of
India’s
democratic
institutions,
which
he
claimed
have
been
systematically
compromised.
He
expressed
deep
disillusionment
with
the
judiciary,
once
considered
the
“last
hope”
for
citizens.
“But
sadly
today
I
dare
give
this
statement
on
this
dais.
Shame
on
you
the
courts
of
India.
Because
you
are
committing
the
biggest
crime
killing
justice,”
he
said,
accusing
the
courts
of
failing
to
uphold
constitutional
morality.
Raj
shifted
the
focus
of
opposition
from
the
BJP
to
the
RSS,
drawing
a
stark
contrast
with
historical
fascist
movements.
“Why
Hitler
failed,
why
Mussolini
failed?
Because
they
started
a
political
party.
They
were
a
political
party.
Here
RSS
is
not
a
political
party,”
he
argued,
suggesting
the
organization
operates
as
an
unseen,
more
powerful
force-a
“demon”
beneath
the
water-with
the
BJP
being
merely
the
visible
“lotus”
on
the
surface.
His
speech
took
a
personal
turn
when
he
referenced
a
mass
email
he
claimed
to
have
received
from
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
on
Constitution
Day
(November
26).
Raj
described
it
as
a
“letter
full
of
lies”
and
expressed
outrage
at
the
unsolicited
use
of
his
personal
data.
He
juxtaposed
the
PM’s
written
praise
for
Dr.
B.R.
Ambedkar
and
the
Constitution
with
visuals
from
the
previous
day
of
the
PM
and
RSS
chief
Mohan
Bhagwat
at
a
Ram
temple
event.
Noting
the
PM’s
“shivering”
hands
while
hoisting
a
religious
flag,
Raj
questioned,
“I’m
wondering
does
this
man
really
have
this
reverence
to
our
national
flag?
No,
their
agenda
is
different.”
“Their
agenda
is
genocide.
Their
agenda
is
to
bring
the
manusmriti.
Their
agenda
is
to
change
the
constitution
because
they
are
not
comfortable
with
that,”
he
asserted,
claiming
the
goal
is
to
relegate
all
dissenting
voices
and
minorities
to
the
status
of
“secondary
citizens.”
To
bolster
his
grave
warning,
Raj
cited
a
“chronology”
of
events,
including
the
killings
of
activists
like
Gauri
Lankesh,
Narendra
Dabholkar,
and
others,
and
the
subsequent
bail
and
public
garlanding
of
the
accused.
“So
their
agenda
is
very
clear:
to
kill
the
democracy,
kill
all
systems,”
he
added.
Calling
for
public
awareness
and
resistance,
Raj
warned,
“Today
they
are
coming
for
the
Muslims.
Tomorrow
they
will
come
for
you.”
He
ended
with
a
rallying
cry
for
persistent
dissent:
“If
you
can
lie
to
us
100
times,
let’s
speak
the
truth
thousand
times.”
The
video
has
predictably
polarized
reactions
online.
BJP
leaders
and
supporters
have
denounced
the
comments
as
seditious,
baseless,
and
dangerously
inflammatory,
accusing
Raj
of
spreading
hate
and
dividing
society
for
political
theatrics.
Legal
action
against
the
actor
is
being
demanded
by
some
BJP
factions.
