Kerala News

“Just Give Them Their Land And Dignity”: Video Of Prakash Raj Comparing Palestine With Kashmir Goes Viral, Says India Acts Like ‘Big Brother’ To Kashmir

February 19, 2024
The Commune

In yet another attempt to come across as ultra-liberal, alleged actor Prakash Raj has found himself in trouble with his words that can be construed as advocation of separation of Kashmir from India.

This time, a video of him speaking at the International Literature Festival on 29 January 2024 at Thrissur on the theme ‘Art and Democracy’ has gone viral.

When discussing the Prana Pratishtha ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple, actor Prakash Raj remarked, “In the evolution in civilization most of the mosques, some of the mosques if you dig there will be a temple. But if you dig the temple there will be a buddha. How deep will you dig? Where will you go?”

“If you dig a flourishing city you will find another Harappa or Mohenjadaro. Will that be an information or you want to go back to that age? ”  he questioned.

Then he stated, “See here, they brought in the shock of the new. They have made people comfortable, they have brought them with one Ram, one religion, one element. Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu is for them is just on the tongue not within. They have planned it for years.”

Later Prakash Raj emphasized the significance of persisting in the struggle against injustice, even when faced with potential defeat. He drew connections between the issues in Manipur, Palestine, and Kashmir. Regarding Manipur and Palestine, he asserted, “If something happens in the Manipur we should react. If something happens in Palestine.. What is happening in Palestine is justice, what we need is justice you can’t take sides. There is no point in taking sides. You just give them their land that’s it. just give them their land their dignity, how will they survive is none of your business.”

Furthermore, he drew a distinction between the crises in Palestine and Kashmir, “Where are we. We want to be big brothers, we want to big brothers to Kashmir”.

His comments seemingly imply that he is advocating for the secession of Kashmir from India.

Upon viewing the viral video, Netizens swiftly responded strongly to his remarks, criticizing him for drawing parallels between Palestine and Kashmir. They expressed disapproval, highlighting the Kashmiri Pandits’ issue and accusing him of aligning with the left ideology of appeasement politics.

A disgruntled online user expressed anger, stating, “He won’t talk about the land of kashmiri pandits snatched forcefully by his peaceful community.”

Another online user expressed frustration, accompanied by a historical map of India, and questioned, “What more to keep giving away @prakashraaj? Not even a century ago, this is what India was.”

Another online user attempted to describe the situation in Palestine, stating that Israel withdrew from the region in the early 2000s. According to this explanation, after gaining freedom to establish a civil society and flourish, the Palestinians received billions in aid. However, the user claimed that instead of using these resources positively, they allegedly supported Hamas, constructed underground tunnels beneath hospitals and schools, and repurposed pipes intended for drinking water to manufacture rockets. The user concluded by asserting that the Palestinians’ ultimate goal is not to acquire land but to eliminate Jews.

Another individual on the internet viewed this as mere political theatrics in the lead-up to the election. The person questions why individuals like Prakash Raj hold such opinions, suggesting that it may be because the consequences do not personally impact them. Drawing a parallel, the user compares Prakash Raj to historical figures like Nehru and Jinnah, asserting that the division of the country into Pakistan and India did not adversely affect them; rather, they gained power. The user implies that Prakash Raj, driven by a desire for power, is willing to articulate any stance for political gain.

Another internet user remarked, “He is being placed tactfully within the ecosystem of anti India forces, the event guys even dnt put efforts – names like these start getting confirmed once the prog is announced.”