‘Disrespecting media amounts to disrespecting citizens’: Actor-activist Prakash Raj

Chennai: Actor-activist Prakash Raj launched a scathing critique against political leaders who bypass media scrutiny, asserting that dismissive attitudes toward press conferences directly translate into “disrespecting” the public whom journalists represent.

Addressing news outlets in Chennai on October 6, Prakash Raj said that while he maintains no political affiliations, he remains committed to people-centric issues. He emphasised that under the Indian Constitution, citizens are required to stay politically active while elected officials handle governance.

Criticising ruling administrations for avoiding transparency and restricting spaces for public protest, Raj demanded greater accountability from leadership.

“Why are you refusing to hold press meets? Why are you disrespecting and demeaning the press?” Raj asked, stressing that elected officials, including Chief Ministers and the Prime Minister, are obligated to answer queries posed by journalists on behalf of the electorate.

Expanding his critique during the interaction, Prakash Raj targeted the Union government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the integrity of electoral processes.

He raised serious concerns regarding the appointment framework for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, arguing that swapping the Chief Justice of India on the selection panel for a Union Cabinet Minister created an unfair 2:1 advantage for the ruling party.

Furthermore, he condemned statutory provisions that grant broad judicial immunity to the CEC against legal proceedings during or following their term in office.

Raj also alleged widespread discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming eligible voters were routinely disenfranchised under “absent” or “shifted” designations merely for being away at work, in hospitals or out of town during survey visits.

Pointing out that severe administrative burdens had led to suicides among booth-level officers due to inadequate training and public awareness initiatives, Raj accused authorities of flouting Supreme Court guidelines regarding reported foreign infiltrators and altering election schedules to suit executive campaign declarations ahead of the Model Code of Conduct.

PTI