Actor Rishi Kapoor, who last month criticised the naming the major structures in India after the Gandhi-Nehru family, says he didn’t do it to gain political favours from the Narendra Modi-led government.
“I have no aspirations to become a politician, nor did I say this to please the ruling party. I was neither trying to impress anybody, nor do I seek Padma award or Rajya Sabha membership,” Kapoor said on the TV show Aap Ki Adalat.
The actor said he respected the Gandhi-Nehru family but was not in favour of naming all Indian assets after them.
“Don’t we have eminent people who built cities and our great country? The Kapoor family has been a supporter of Congress every time, but the issue is that sycophants in the party are trying to name all public assets to please the family,” he said, adding that Delhi had 64 assets that were named after the Gandhi-Nehru family.
When asked about his recent praise of Prime Minister Modi, Kapoor said, “I feel whatever Modi ji is saying is correct. My only request to him is that he should fulfil his promises soon. I am patiently waiting and I am hopeful he would definitely fulfil.”
The actor was trolled on Twitter after his comments with some people calling him a ‘Modi-bhakt’.
“Yes, I am a bhakt [worshiper], but a bhakt of God. I do not know what connotation this word has nowadays, but yes, if so be it, yes I am.”
When asked about not getting a Padma award during the Congress regime, Kapoor said only people with close connections in Delhi are awarded.
“Yes, I learnt this after working for 44 years. Now even the age of getting an award is over. But my regret is that even [my grand-uncle] Shammi Kapoor was not honoured. It’s sad. In our government, a person is awarded only if one has pull in Delhi. They don’t give awards to deserving person,” Kapoor said.
