Actor Prakash Raj Faces Police Complaint For Chandrayaan-3 Tweet

A police complaint has been lodged against renowned actor Prakash Raj for a tweet he posted concerning the Chandrayaan-3 mission, sparking a fresh controversy. Hindu organisations' leaders took action by filing a formal complaint against Raj at the Banahatti police station in the Bagalkote district. They are demanding appropriate action be taken against him for allegedly mocking India's prestigious Moon Mission.

The controversy began on August 20, when Prakash Raj took to his social media platform to share a cartoon depicting a man wearing a vest and a lungi, traditionally styled clothing, while pouring tea. The cartoon was accompanied by the caption, "First picture coming from the Moon by #VikramLander (sic)." The tweet quickly caught the attention of the online community, leading to widespread criticism.

Many users on the platform criticised Raj for what they perceived as mocking the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which aims to achieve a safe landing on the lunar surface. The tweet was met with backlash, with individuals accusing Raj of displaying "blind hatred" towards India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It's worth noting that Prakash Raj has been a vocal critic of the BJP and PM Modi for several years.

The controversy escalated further when users pointed out that Raj had used derogatory terms related to the "chaiwala" (tea seller) remark that he had previously directed at PM Modi. This further fueled the perception that Raj's tweet was politically motivated and intended to demean the Prime Minister.

Amid the severe backlash, Prakash Raj chose to address the controversy by issuing a clarification on his social media platform. He defended his tweet, explaining that he was referring to a joke from the "Armstrong times" and was celebrating a local tea seller from Kerala. He challenged critics to understand the humor and grow up, suggesting that the joke was taken out of context.

Despite Raj's explanation, the controversy has yet to subside.