BJP members sprinkle 'divine' cow urine to cleanse stage where Prakash Raj gave a speech

The actor reportedly criticised Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde during his speech which irked the BJP members.

Sirsi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha members sprinkled the "divine" cow urine on a stage at an event in Sirsi in Karnataka, hours after actor Prakash Raj gave a speech there.

The actor was invited to a programme titled "Our Constitution, Our Pride". He reportedly criticised Uttara Kannada MP and Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde during his speech which irked the BJP members.

Thereafter, the BJP youth wing members reached the spot on Makar Sankranti and sprinkled cow urine in the entire area to "cleanse and purify" the venue. 

Taking to Twitter, the actor asked if BJP workers will do the same wherever he goes. "BJP workers cleaning and purifying the stage...from where I spoke in Sirsi town ...by sprinkling cow urine (divine gomoothra)...Will you continue this cleaning and purification service where ever I go..... #justasking," he tweeted.

BJP workers cleaning and purifying the stage ..from where I spoke in Sirsi town ...by sprinkling cow urine (divine gomoothra)...___...will you continue this cleaning and purification service where ever I go..... #justasking pic.twitter.com/zG1hKF8P4r — Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 16, 2018

Prakash Raj had earlier also slammed Hegde for equating nationalism with 'hindutva'. In a Twitter post, the actor asked the Karnataka BJP leader to clarify what he meant when he said "nationalism and Hindutva" are one and mean the same.

"You said, "nationalism and hindutva are not two different things but are one and mean the same. Why do you bring in a religion into nationalism? Then what about those who are not Hindus, people, who are our country's pride like Ambedkar, Adbul kalam, A Rahman, Khuswanth Singh, Amrita Pritam, Dr Verghese Kurien... The list goes on.

"And what about many like me who do not have a religion, but believe in humanity? Aren't we all the national of our country? Who are you guys... What's your agenda... Since you believe in 'janmas'... Are you guys reincarnation of Germans HITLER (sic)," Raj tweeted.

His post was followed by a video clip of Hegde speaking in Kannada at a press conference, where he had allegedly said Hindutva and nationalism are not separate identities.

The actor has been in the news lately for voicing his opposition to various policies and steps taken by the Narendra Modi government. He had also criticised the Prime Minister over his silence on those "celebrating" the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bangalore in September and had also lashed out at those who "terrorise" in the name of religion, culture and morality.