'Har gali mein Jantar Mantar': Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's husband to join Dipke at anti-SIR protest
PTC News Desk: Economist Parakala Prabhakar will join Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and actor-activist Prakash Raj in a nationwide protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on October 23.
The protest aims to demand the scrapping of the SIR process and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Activists, political figures and public personalities are expected to take part.
Prabhakar, a vocal critic of the government’s economic policies, is also expected to share the stage with senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora and author Tushar Gandhi.
Who is Parakala Prabhakar ?
Prabhakar had earlier joined a CJP protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on October 8. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and actor Prakash Raj were also present at the demonstration.
Although his wife, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has been associated with the BJP for years, Prabhakar has openly criticised the ruling party and its policies.
In his book, The Crooked Timber of New India, he criticised decisions such as demonetisation, raised concerns about unemployment and questioned what he described as the weakening of democratic institutions.
Prabhakar was born in Narsapuram, Andhra Pradesh. He met Sitharaman while they were studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi. Despite their different political views, the two married in 1986.
Apart from his work as an economist and author, Prabhakar has also been involved in politics. In 2009, he was associated with the Praja Rajyam Party, founded by actor Chiranjeevi.
From 2014 to 2018, he served as communications adviser to the Andhra Pradesh government under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
He resigned in April 2018, a few weeks after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) amid a dispute over special category status for Andhra Pradesh. At the time, opposition leaders had raised concerns that his family connection to Sitharaman, who belonged to another party, could affect his ability to protect the state’s interests.
Prabhakar’s participation in the October 23 protest is expected to bring further attention to the campaign against the SIR process. The participation of several prominent figures has also brought attention to the newly formed People Against SIR alliance.
Established on October 14, the alliance brings together different groups, including students, farmers, Dalits, Adivasis and minorities, to oppose the electoral roll revision process.
- PTC NEWS
