900 artists urge people to 'vote for BJP' in 2019 Lok Sabha polls

New Delhi: More than 900 artists, including Pandit Jasraj, Vivek Oberoi and Rita Ganguli, Wednesday issued a statement asking people to vote for the BJP and said the country needs a "Majboot Sarkar" not a "Majboor Sarkar".

The artists appealed to the people to cast their vote without any pressure and prejudice. "It is our firm conviction that the continuance of government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the need of the hour. Besides, when challenges like terrorism are before all of us, we need a 'Majboot Sarkar', not a 'Majboor Sarkar' and hence we need the present government to continue," it said.

Among those who have issued the joint statement are Shankar Mahadevan, Triloki Nath Mishra, Koena Mitra, Anuradha Paudwal and Hans Raj Hans. The joint statement said that during the last five years, India has seen a government which delivered "corruption-free good governance and development-oriented administration".

The joint statement comes a week after more than 600 theatre personalities, including Amol Palekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad and Usha Ganguli, had signed a letter asking people to "vote BJP and its allies" out of power, arguing that the idea of India and its constitution are under threat. The letter, which was issued Thursday evening in 12 languages on the Artist Unite India website, said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are the "most critical in the history" of the country.