Actor Prakash Raj under fire for controversial tweet on Chandrayaan-3
- FILMIPOP
- Updated : Aug 22, 2023, 10:07 IST
Synopsis
Actor Prakash Raj faces backlash over a tweet that some perceive as mocking India's Chandrayaan-3 mission, drawing criticism from politicians and the public.
Actor Prakash Raj faced criticism on Monday for a post on a social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, that some interpreted as a mockery of India's Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission. On Sunday, Raj shared a cartoon in which a man dressed in a shirt and sarong was shown pouring tea. In Kannada, he captioned the cartoon with, "Latest news: First view just arrived from the Chandrayaan #VikramLander #justasking."
Though the actor did not specify the identity of the man in the cartoon, many social media users accused him of ridiculing the former head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), K Sivan.
Among those who criticized Raj was Abhishek Singhvi, a spokesperson for the Congress party, who wrote, "I strongly condemn Prakash Raj for this inappropriate tweet. The success of ISRO is a moment of pride for India."
Chandrayaan-3, which was launched on July 14, is scheduled to make a historic landing at the Moon's south pole on August 23, becoming the first mission to achieve this feat. India's space agency, on Sunday, announced that the landing is planned for 6:04 pm.
A social media user urged Raj, who is known for his outspoken views against the government, to refrain from injecting political bias into the accomplishments of ISRO. They wrote, "Prakashji, this Chandrayaan mission is a project of ISRO, not the BJP. If it succeeds, it's a success for India, not any political party. Why do you wish for this mission to fail? The BJP is a ruling party that will eventually change, but ISRO will continue to make us proud for years."
Some others believed that the National Award-winning actor had crossed a line with his latest post, as they considered it a mockery of an achievement that is globally recognized as a milestone. One user expressed, "You have lowered yourself to an unacceptable level. It's shameful that you are a fellow citizen! I take pride in ISRO! Jai Hind."
Later, Prakash Raj clarified that he was referring to a joke. He tweeted, "Hate sees only Hate.. i was referring to a joke of #Armstrong times .. celebrating our kerala Chaiwala .. which Chaiwala did the TROLLS see ?? .. if you dont get a joke then the joke is on you .. GROW UP #justasking"
Prakash Raj, known for his roles in films like "Kanchivaram," "Singham," and "Wanted," ran as an independent candidate for the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 general elections but was unsuccessful.
Chandrayaan-3 is a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, designed to demonstrate the full capability of safely landing and roving on the lunar surface.
— prakashraaj (@prakashraaj) Though the actor did not specify the identity of the man in the cartoon, many social media users accused him of ridiculing the former head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), K Sivan.
Among those who criticized Raj was Abhishek Singhvi, a spokesperson for the Congress party, who wrote, "I strongly condemn Prakash Raj for this inappropriate tweet. The success of ISRO is a moment of pride for India."
Chandrayaan-3, which was launched on July 14, is scheduled to make a historic landing at the Moon's south pole on August 23, becoming the first mission to achieve this feat. India's space agency, on Sunday, announced that the landing is planned for 6:04 pm.
A social media user urged Raj, who is known for his outspoken views against the government, to refrain from injecting political bias into the accomplishments of ISRO. They wrote, "Prakashji, this Chandrayaan mission is a project of ISRO, not the BJP. If it succeeds, it's a success for India, not any political party. Why do you wish for this mission to fail? The BJP is a ruling party that will eventually change, but ISRO will continue to make us proud for years."
Some others believed that the National Award-winning actor had crossed a line with his latest post, as they considered it a mockery of an achievement that is globally recognized as a milestone. One user expressed, "You have lowered yourself to an unacceptable level. It's shameful that you are a fellow citizen! I take pride in ISRO! Jai Hind."
Later, Prakash Raj clarified that he was referring to a joke. He tweeted, "Hate sees only Hate.. i was referring to a joke of #Armstrong times .. celebrating our kerala Chaiwala .. which Chaiwala did the TROLLS see ?? .. if you dont get a joke then the joke is on you .. GROW UP #justasking"
— prakashraaj (@prakashraaj) Prakash Raj, known for his roles in films like "Kanchivaram," "Singham," and "Wanted," ran as an independent candidate for the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 general elections but was unsuccessful.
Chandrayaan-3 is a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, designed to demonstrate the full capability of safely landing and roving on the lunar surface.
