Raghuram Rajan backs Deepika Padukone's silent protest at JNU, says she inspires one to take stock of what's at stake

Backing Deepika Padukone, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said the actress’ silent protest against JNU violence as also Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa doing his duty impartially despite harassment to his family, showed that for some people, truth, freedom and justice are not just lofty words, but ideals worth sacrificing for New Delhi: Backing Deepika Padukone, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said the actress’ silent protest against JNU violence as also Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa doing his duty impartially despite harassment to his family, showed that for some people, truth, freedom and justice are not just lofty words, but ideals worth sacrificing for. Without naming Padukone, who has won both bouquets and brickbats for her silent protest by meeting victims of the attack on JNU, he said despite putting attendance at her latest movie, ‘Chhapaak’ at risk, the actress “inspires us all to take stock of what is truly at stake.” Rajan, who was denied a second term as RBI Governor by the Modi government, said it is elevating to see “young people of diverse faiths march together, Hindus and Muslims arm-in-arm behind our national flag, rejecting artificial divides stoked by political leaders for their own gain.” “They show that the spirit of our constitution still burns brightly,” he said. Without naming Lavasa — the sole member of the Election Commission who refused to give a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the matter of electoral process violations — he said: “When an Election Commissioner carries out his duties impartially despite the harassment it brings upon his family, he asserts that integrity has not been completely cowed.” Soon after BJP won a second term, investigations were initiated against five members of Lavasa’s family. “When some members of the media work tirelessly to get the truth out even as their colleagues succumb to government pressure, they demonstrate what it means to be a dutiful citizen of the Republic.” And when a Bollywood actress “registers her silent protest by meeting with the victims of the attack on JNU, even though she puts attendance at her latest movie at risk, she inspires us all to take stock of what is truly at stake,” he said.