Prakash Raj faces protest in Dharwad; police detain demonstrators
Actor Prakash Raj's event in Dharwad saw protests by Hindu groups and BJP workers, leading to police detentions and a counter-protest by organisers.
Tension ran high in Dharwad on Sunday as a group of Hindu organisations and BJP workers attempted to surround actor Prakash Raj outside the Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha. The actor was scheduled to take part in the 'Manushyatvadege Samudaya Jatha' programme, an initiative described as a march for humanity.
Protesters alleged that Prakash Raj might make anti-Hindu remarks during the event. The situation escalated when a group of youths tried to force their way into the venue. Police intervened to stop them, leading to brief scuffles and the detention of several individuals.
Detained protesters refused to board police vehicles, shouting that they would not cooperate. In a separate incident, two youths reportedly smeared ink on a banner of the actor placed by ABVP students outside the venue and tore the flex. This drew a sharp reaction from the programme's organisers, who staged a road protest, sitting on the street and raising slogans against the RSS.
Separately, Prakash Raj has announced that civil society organisations in Karnataka will hold an 'Election Commission Chalo' campaign in Bengaluru on September 1. The campaign opposes the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with concerns over alleged flaws in the exercise. He questioned the deletion of voters marked as absent or permanently shifted, arguing they should be given a fair chance to prove eligibility rather than being asked to re-enrol via Form 6.
The announcement follows the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer's publication of the Draft Electoral Roll after the SIR-2026 exercise. On the professional front, Prakash Raj is set to appear in 'Drishyam: The Conclusion', starring Ajay Devgn, scheduled for release on October 2, 2026.