Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has hit out at actor and theatre personality Prakash Rai for filing a defamation case against him at a city Court and seeking a compensation of Re.1.

“I congratulate Prakash Rai. He has himself admitted in the Court that his worth and reputation in the society is Re.1,” he said.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at his office in Jaladarshini Guest House in city this morning, the MP sarcastically remarked, “The society gives “mooru kaasu” (three paise) value to Prakash Rai in his reel and real life. I suggest him to file a defamation case and seek three paise as compensation instead of Re.1,” he said.

“Prakash Rai seeking Re.1 compensation does not mean that my value in society is equivalent to that money. People have elected me from Kodagu and Mysuru within 10 months of Siddharamaiah (whose home town is Mysuru) becoming the Chief Minister. This is my value and status,” he added.

Continuing his tirade, Pratap Simha said that the legal notice from the actor was sent when he was not in station. “I received the notice later and it had come from Delhi Jubilee Hills Prakash Raj. I got confused and I have asked him to clarify if he is Prakash Rai or Prakash Raj. Like he changes his names in films, he has names for each place. How is this possible,” the MP questioned.

“Apart from former Karnataka Minister H.Y. Meti (whose sex scandal video was all over the place forcing him to resign), I have not commented on anybody’s personal life. One Thejaswi had written about Prakash Rai in social media and I had just shared it. And moreover, it is not my opinion and Prakash Rai cannot file a defamation case against me. I will give my version if the Court asks me,” he said.

The MP said, “Prakash Rai has asked people not to vote for Anant Kumar Hegde. Rai thinks himself to be a big man. If so, he can contest in any of the 224 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka. I will defeat him and teach him a lesson,”  he added.