New Delhi: Actor and activist Prakash Raj delivered a sharp critique of the Indian government at a public discussion organised by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). He accused the state of silencing dissent, targeting Muslims, and weaponising laws against young activists.
Raj said the continued imprisonment of Umar Khalid and other anti-CAA activists showed the government’s fear of the resilience of Muslim youth. “They are in jail because they are our future leaders. They are Muslims, and this government is afraid of them,” he said.
He recounted how propaganda has created irrational fear of Muslims, sharing the story of a friend who admired Muslim celebrities yet avoided Muslim neighbourhoods due to misinformation. Raj called this the outcome of “WhatsApp University” and deliberate state-sponsored fear.
On mob lynchings, he pointed to killings sparked by rumours over beef consumption. “A man brings mutton home, and before he realises what is happening, he is pulled out and killed. He does not even know why he died,” Raj said. He warned that such violence is being normalised, drawing parallels with Israel’s war on Palestinians.
Raj argued that killers of rationalists like Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar walk free, while peaceful dissenters remain jailed under harsh laws like UAPA. He urged citizens not to remain silent and to keep raising questions. “The only way is resilience and voice,” he concluded.
