Why me India's assets only after Gandhis, asks Rishi Kapoor

What's in a me! Veteran Bollywood actor raises Congress hackles

Mumbai, May 18: Veteran film actor Rishi Kapoor on Wednesday sparked off a Congress outcry after he launched a scathing attack against the grand old party of India for ming Indian assets and government projects after its icons from the Nehru-Gandhi family.

In a series of tweets, Rishi Kapoor urged the Bharatiya Jata Party (BJP) government to re-me the assets that the Congress has med after the Gandhis -- Indira and Rajiv.

"We must me important assets of the country (after those) who have contributed to society. Har cheez Gandhi ke am? (Everything is in the me of the Gandhis?) I don't agree. Soch log! (Think people!)," Rishi Kapoor tweeted.

"Change Gandhi family assets med by (the) Congress. Bandra/Worli Sea Link to Lata Mangeshkar or J.R.D. Tata Link road. Baap ka maal samajh rakha tha."

He also questioned why Delhi's airport was med Indira Gandhi Intertiol Airport. "Why not Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar or on my me Rishi Kapoor. As superficial."

The Bollywood actor apparently took a thread from Minister of State for Exterl Affairs V.K. Singh's demand on Tuesday that New Delhi's Akbar Road, where the Congress headquarters is located, be remed after Mahara Pratap.

"If (mes of) roads in Delhi can be changed, why not Congress assets/property ke am? Was in Chandigarh, wahan bhi Rajeev Gandhi assets. Socho! Why," the actor said.

The 63-year-old actor demanded that "Film City (in Mumbai) should be med (after) Dilip Kumar, Dev And, Ashok Kumar ya Amitabh Bachchan? Rajeev Gandhi udyog kya hota hai?"

The comments sparked off a furore in the Congress, with Gandhi loyalists slamming the actor.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the actor had no "role to play in the public life".

"Last time I heard of him was in the movie 'Bobby'. It is not worth to comment on," Tewari told reporters in Delhi.

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam in Mumbai said that Rishi Kapoor needed to learn history as he apparently had failed to realize the contributions the Gandhi family had made to build the tion.

He said he had sent Rishi Kapoor a list of Indian airports that have been med after Mahara Pratap, Shivaji Maharaj and Lal Bahadur Shastri.

"There are some who open their mouth for the sake of power and such people have a rrow mindset," Nirupam added.

Congress spokesperson P. C. Chacko didn't me the actor but said people were targeting the Gandhis "to get into the good books" of the ruling BJP.

"They want to please somebody in power. They can have it but not at the expense of the Congress. We don't take it seriously and it is not worth any comments at all," Chacko said in Delhi.

Rishi Kapoor said his father Raj Kapoor, a legendary Indian showman, has made the country proud more than "what has been perceived by politics".

The actor's view was supported by his Bollywood colleague Anupam Kher, known for airing his views rather brazenly. He stressed the importance of recognising "legends" from other fields like the arts, cricket and cinema.

Anupam Kher lauded the rendra Modi government, saying that they don't 'have any yoj (scheme) after any political leaders".

"Rishi Kapoor is a very forthright person. He has not necessarily said all the right things but why should we attribute a reason behind it and make it less important by immediately coming to a conclusion that this is a political statement. It is not a political statement."