Belagavi: Actor and director Prakash Rai, who recently questioned PM Narendra Modi's continued silence over the killing of rationalists and journalist Gauri Lankesh, admitted in Belagavi on Wednesday that he is being threatened by anti-social elements and is also being chased. Asserting that he can never be intimidated by such forces, he called such forces cowards, liars and thieves who would never succeed in stopping him.

Addressing a large gathering at Sadashiva Nagar graveyard in Belagavi, where Anti-Superstition Sankalp Din was organised by ex-minister Satish Jarkiholi on Wednesday, Rai said, “I have not grown as an artist because of my talent, but because of people. When I want to give it back to society, some forces are trying to intimidate me. But I’m not going to succumb. It's difficult for them to catch me, though they are chasing me. One day I am in Kerala another in Chennai or Hyderabad and I’m moving everywhere on work," he said.




Stating that attempts of Hindutva forces to target him would never materialise as he was always amid people and rationalists who would protect him, he said, "I don't need eight police officers to guard me. Let them do what they want to.

Those chasing me are thieves, cowards and liars and that's why they hatch such conspiracies against me. They think our fear is their strength. But we cannot be intimidated for sure." He urged the people to help build a healthy society for the coming generations in the country.

Objecting to a statement by a Union Minister at a programme in Udupi, Rai said, “The central minister says both Hindutva and nationalism were one and the same and that they are going to rule us. Understand what such leaders are trying to convey to society. Such forces should be stopped by people to ensure a healthy society.”