Complaint Filed Against Actor Prakash Raj in Tirupati Court Over Remarks on Ramayana
Tirupati — A criminal complaint has been filed in a Tirupati court against actor Prakash Raj over alleged derogatory remarks about Hindu deities and the Ramayana.
G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, a BJP leader and member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board, filed the complaint Monday in the court of the IV Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class. He alleged that the actor made “inflammatory” statements during the Kerala Literature Festival and at other public forums.
According to the complaint, Prakash Raj allegedly claimed that Lord Rama and Lakshmana traveled from North India to “invade” the South, which he reportedly equated with “Lanka.”
Reddy said he came across a video of the actor on social media on April 17 in which Prakash Raj allegedly made “highly derogatory, factually incorrect, inflammatory and malicious statements” about Lord Rama, Lakshmana and the Ramayana.
The complainant said the remarks, which were widely circulated on social media, caused hurt and outrage among members of the Hindu community.
Reddy alleged that the actor willfully promoted the divisive “Aryan-Dravidian” theory, incited regional animosity, undermined India’s cultural and religious unity, and deliberately insulted Hindu deities and scriptures with the intent to outrage religious feelings.
The TTD board member alleged that the statements amounted to an offense against public tranquility, religious harmony and the beliefs of the community.
The complaint said the remarks attracted Section 299, dealing with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs, and Section 196, dealing with promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to harmony, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The complainant requested the court to examine the complaint, take cognizance of the alleged offenses, and summon and punish the accused in accordance with the law. (Source: IANS)
