Mumbai: Known to speak his mind, Bollywood actor, Rishi Kapoor, set off a storm over his comments on Twitter as to why so many national assets of India are named after the Gandhi family. He was obviously referring to Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi.

In a series of tweets, the 63-year-old actor questioned why roads, airports and national parks have been named after the Gandhi family.

“We must name important assets of the country who have contributed to society. Har cheez Gandhi ke naam? (Everything has a Gandhi name) I don’t agree/ Sochna log (people must think)!

“Why Indira G airport International? (Indira Gandhi international airport in Delhi) Why not Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh Ambedkar or on my name Rishi Kapoor. As superficial! What say?”

Many of his questions have been long asked by Indians across the country but perhaps for the first time Rishi Kapoor’s tweets have got immense attention with many asking this very question aloud. Earlier, such protests were feeble or never taken up strongly but in today’s political scenario where the BJP rules the roost, the actor’s tweets have got instant reaction and a fan following on social media.

He tweeted, “If roads in Delhi can be changed why not Congress assets/property ke naam? Was in Chandigarh wahan bhi (there also) Rajeev Gandhi assets? Socho (think!)? Why?”

Rishi Kapoor’s suggestion is, “Change Gandhi family assets named by Congress. Bandra/Worli Sea Link to Lata Mangeshkar or JRD Tata link road. Baap ka maal samjh rakha tha (they have regarded everything as their father’s property)!” The Bandra-Worli Sea Link has been named after the late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Borivili National Park in the city is known as the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Whilst Kapoor has proposed that “Film City should be named Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Ashok Kumar ya (or) Amitabh Bachchan ke naam,” Film City in Mumbai is in fact named Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagri after the memory of India’s first producer, director and screenwriter Dadasaheb Phalke.

The actor has also wondered why his own father has been denied his due place. “Raj Kapoor has made India proud over the years all over even after his death. Certainly more than What has been perceived by politics.”

Whilst Kapoor’s comments have been lapped up by many social media commentators, members of the Congress party here have not taken it lightly. Former MP and Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam, told Gulf News, “First of all, we don’t reject the contribution of Rishi Kapoor to Indian cinema. However, lately, he has become senile and tweets late at night usually under the influence of liquor. So we don’t take him seriously. I suggest he reads the history of India and learns the contribution of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to this country.

Nirupam also criticised Kapoor for not being “aware of the factual position that there are 450 airports in the country and out of them only a few are named after Pandit Nehru or Rajiv Gandhi. The rest are named after Subhash Chandra Bose, Raja Bhoj, Maharana Pratap, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and others.”

According to Nirupam, Kapoor has been influenced by the “aggressive propaganda of the BJP and RSS or, perhaps, he is cosying up to the BJP hoping for an award. Once again, we don’t reject Rishi Kapoor’s contribution or that of other stalwarts like Dev Anand, Prithviraj Kapoor and others,” he said.