Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday took a jibe at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party while congratulating the teams of ‘RRR’ and ‘Elephant Whisperers’ for bagging the prestigious Oscar Awards on Monday. He said that the ruling party shouldn’t take the credit as it is a contribution of the country.
“My request is that the ruling party should not take credit that we have directed, we have written the poem, or Modiji has directed this film. They should not say that is only my request. It is the contribution of the country”, Kharge said.
Members of the house across party lines, expressed their happiness at India’s win at a global stage. While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “These achievements reflect a global appreciation of the vast talent, immense creativity and committed dedication of Indian artists. Indeed another facet of our global rise and recognition.” He even said, “If I didn’t become a lawyer, I would have been acting somewhere.”
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that it is a matter of pride for the women of our country. “I want to share with the house that the Elephant Whisperers has been made by two women of eminence. It’s a mark of respect for our women and it’s a great mark of recognition of the women of India”, he said.
The minister further added that the ‘RRR’ scriptwriter is a Rajya Sabha member. As MPs object to Goyal endorsing PM Modi’s choice, Dhankhar asked the members to not politicise the matter. Member of the opposition Jairam Ramesh said that the occasion calls for a collective celebration not the narrow partisan point scoring like the leader of the house Goyal did.
Samajwadi Party leader and actress Jaya Bachchan said, “It does not matter if they’re from north, east, south or west, they’re Indians”. She further elaborated saying that it is a moment of prominence for India and that it’s a matter of pride and dignity for the Indian film fraternity.
India created history at the 95th Academy Awards, as it celebrated two big wins at the Oscars. Team ‘RRR‘ and ‘Elephant Whisperers‘ bagged the prestigious award for the best original song and best documentary short film respectively.
PM Modi on Monday also congratulated the ‘RRR’ and ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ team for bringing laurels to the nation. Calling it “exceptional”, PM Modi said that Natu Natu song “will be remembered for years” and added that the work of The Elephant Whisperers’ team wonderfully highlights the importance of sustainable development and living in harmony with nature.
(with inputs from agencies)