Bengaluru (DHNS): Actor Prakash Rai came under attack by the state BJP leaders on Tuesday for his comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rai at an event in Bengaluru on Monday had hit out at Modi for his silence on journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder. Rai had said, ‘We may not be able to see Gauri’s killers but we can see those who have spewed vitriol. People who our prime minister follows are among them’.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said “Modi critics” have been on the rise during the recent days. “Rai by making baseless remarks against Modi, cannot belittle the prime minister,” he said. Yeddyurappa pointed out the BJP had condemned the murder and sought an impartial probe.

BJP state spokesperson and MLA S Suresh Kumar recalled that Rai had refused to react on the Cauvery water dispute stating that he was an actor and it will be wrong on his part to comment on sensitive issue. “Now Rai does not seem to mind to criticise the prime minister. If Rai has any political ambition, let him float his own political party,” Kumar said.

Govt criticised

The ruling Congress also came under criticism from the BJP. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar lashed out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his “Kam ki bath” comment.

Shettar said the Centre had released Rs 1.29 lakh crore to Karnataka during the last three years, but the state was falsely claiming that it had not received any grants.