BENGALURU: Actor Prakash Raj has issued a defamation notice to Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha for ‘defamatory and derogatory’ remarks made against him by the latter in social media posts and television interviews.
Addressing a press meet, he said, “I have sent a legal notice to Pratap Simha for the way he has trolled me. I want my notice to be answered legally. If he does not, I will take criminal action against him.” Raj said the trolling began after he called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a bigger actor than him.
The remarks made by the BJP MP - that Prakash was running after a dancer when his son died - was meant to instigate people, the actor said. “It disturbed my personal life. When I ask questions on politics, you cannot troll a person based on speculative stories,” he said.
If an unconditional apology is not tendered by the MP, “my client will be constrained to initiate appropriate proceedings, both civil and criminal, including claiming monetary damages, which is in the process of contemplation,” the legal notice issued by Prakash’s lawyer read.
Commenting on ‘troll vandalism’, Prakash said that encouragement provided to online trolls by political parties is emboldening them to openly issue threats. “As a citizen of my country, I have to make my move against it,” he said. “Though I should have started questioning earlier, I realised it was necessary after death came to my doorstep,” he said referring to the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.