Not a fool to give my awards to Modi or Yogi: Prakash Raj

News Network

October 3, 2017

Bengaluru, Oct 3: Multilingual actor Prakash Raj, who has earned the wrath of saffronists by lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder, clarified on Tuesday that he would not return his national awards.

A section of media on Monday had claimed that Raj threatened to give his five national awards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A few other media reported that Raj offered his awards to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Speaking at the 11th state meet of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in Bengaluru on Monday Raj had said Yogi Adityanath is a better actor than former. “Gauri’s killers have not been caught yet. But what is more disappointing is people celebrating her murder over social media spreading hatred,” Raj said.

"In UP, we don't know whether he's a Chief Minister or the pujari of a temple. You know, I have 5 national awards. I think I should give them to him," he said.

This led to speculations whether Raj was going to return his National Award. However, the actor clarified this in video, saying, "I'm not such a fool to give back my National Award, it's something I'm very proud of.”

Clarifying Raj’s statement, Muneer Katipalla, the state president of DYFI said, “It was only a satirical comment that Prakash Raj made referring to how Adityanath was trying to act like a chief minister.”

Comments

These artists think they are the only intelligent people. Film acting is their profession, which does not make them V.I.P. They get award for their good acting, and not for any good work for the society.

Prakash Raj, you can't beat them in their game of acting.

Mr. Prakash just hold on , man . i follow actor dileep who committed a crime . Will that make me a bad guy ? It seems that prime minister is sitting idle and just waiting for everyone opinions and make corrections in his facebook and twitter account , fearind returning of awards and what not. just grow up .

Dear Mr. Big actor...Now we know that you are a big chameleon too

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Puttur's Healthcare Dream Cleared: State Finance Gives Nod for 300-Bed Hospital

News Network

December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

• A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

• The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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