I'm not a fool to give back my national awards, but I'm disturbed by PM Narendra Modi's silence: Prakash Raj

After criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the Gauri Lankesh murder, popular actor Prakash Raj had stated that he is not a fool to give back his national awards. The South film actor also added that as an Indian citizen, he has the right to express his views to his Prime Minster.

Prakash Raj stated:

“I’m not a fool to give back my National Awards, which have been given to me for my body of work, and which I’m very proud of. But yes, coming to the point, I would like to own up to certain things. We don’t know who has killed them, but we do know who is celebrating. I’m pained and taken aback by the celebrations of an inhuman killing, and for the very fact that I have vented out my pain and my anguish towards those people who are celebrating, I have been trolled and abused a lot. But if such people are being followed by the Prime Minister, and the PM is not taking a stand on them and not commenting on them, as a citizen of this country, I am disturbed, hurt and afraid by his silence. I am talking to my Prime Minister, and I say your silence is chilling. I have a right to say this."