New Delhi: Bollywood actor and former BJP MP Paresh Rawal has been appointed as the chairman of National School of Drama by President Ram Nath Kovind on the recommendation of the Ministry of Culture.
Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel took to Twitter to congratulate the actor. “Eminent artist @SirPareshRawal has been appointed as the chairman of NSD by the President of India. Artists and students of the country will benefit from his talent,” he tweeted.
प्रख्यात कलाकार मा @SirPareshRawal जी को महामहिम @rashtrapatibhvn द्वारा @nsd_india का अध्यक्ष नियुक्त किया है।उनकी प्रतिभा का लाभ देश के कलाकारों एवं छात्रों को मिलेगा ।हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ @PMOIndia @JPNadda @incredibleindia @tourismgoi @MinOfCultureGoI @BJP4India @BJP4MP pic.twitter.com/ONdM2sB3g0
— Prahlad Singh Patel (@prahladspatel) September 10, 2020
According to a senior official from the culture ministry, Rawal has been appointed for a period of four years.
“The post has been vacant since August 2017 and has been filled. The ministry sent a list of names and the President has appointed Paresh Rawal for a period of four years as per the relevant rules and regulations,” Nitin Tripathi, media advisor, Ministry of Culture.
Playwright and theatre director Ratan Thiyam had served as the NSD chairman from 2013 until 2017.
Also read: How politicians win and lose the trust of voters
Actor had not contested polls
Rawal, who represented the Ahmedabad East constituency in Lok Sabha, had fallen off the radar after opting out of the 2019 elections.
The actor had last year announced that he was not keen to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Rawal had said he “will not fight” even if given a ticket.
“Ha ha ha … Joshi ji it’s a lame sarcasm hence laughable …! This means I will not fight even if I get the ticket and I have steadfastly maintained in all my statements and interviews etc that I am not interested in political career . Hope this clears the fog ..!” he had tweeted.
Ha ha ha … Joshi ji it’s a lame sarcasm hence laughable …! This means I will not fight even if I get the ticket and I have steadfastly maintained in all my statements and interviews etc that I am not interested in political career . Hope this clears the fog ..! https://t.co/BE7gmELseg
— Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) March 23, 2019
Rawal had stressed on the fact that while he would remain a BJP loyalist, he was not interested in a political career.
“I request media and friends not to speculate about my nomination. I had informed the party months in advance of my decision to not contest LS elections . I, however, remain a loyal member of BJP and a staunch supporter of @narendramodi.”.
I request media and friends not to speculate about my nomination. I had informed the party months in advance of my decision to not contest LS elections . I, however, remain a loyal member of BJP and a staunch supporter of @narendramodi.
— Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) March 23, 2019
Why can’t BJP appoint an eminent writer or artist who is apolitical? Does the country have to bear the brunt of politics in every walk of life? Can they not leave drama or art out of the clutches of politics?