Kamal Ghorui
Actor Prakash Raj has responded to criticism online after the final rites of his mother, Swarnalatha Rai, were conducted with Christian rituals in Bengaluru on March 31.The ceremonies began with a funeral mass at St Michael’s Church, followed by her burial at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, with family members and close friends from the film fraternity in attendance. Prakash was joined by his children — Pooja, Meghna, and Vedhanth — as well as his wife, Pony Verma, and his brother, Prasad Raj. Actor Achyuth Kumar was among those present during the funeral.Soon after, sections of social media began questioning the actor’s decision, pointing to his publicly stated atheistic views and contrasting them with the religious nature of the funeral rites.Responding to the chatter, Prakash told Bangalore Times, “Yes, I don’t believe in God. But my mother believed in her God. Who am I to deny her the right to be buried according to her belief? This is the basic respect we give one another.”He emphasised that the ceremony was conducted in keeping with his mother’s faith and wishes, framing it as an act of respect rather than personal belief.
