Rama Krishna Sangem
Most of us think that a Union Minister of State in the Modi government is an attractive job. Maybe for most of the ministers, but not to Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi, a leading Malayalam actor who won as BJP MP from Thrissur in Keraqla .He wants to resign as the minister and get back to acting in films.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi has expressed his desire to return to acting, stating that he wishes to continue his film career. You know that? A Union Minister of State in the Centre get a monthly salary of around Rs 1 lakh plus allowances. Total perks and emoluments come to around Rs 2 lakh, much lower than many senior government employees.
Addressing an event in Kannur, the Thrissur MP and actor-turned-politician said that his income has significantly decreased since taking up the ministerial role. “I really want to continue acting. I need to earn more; my income has now stopped completely,” he said.
Gopi further noted that he is the youngest member in his party and suggested that Rajya Sabha MP C Sadanandan Master be appointed in his place as Union Minister. “I have never prayed for becoming a minister. A day before the elections, I told reporters that I do not want to become a minister, I want to continue with my cinema.”
Suresh joined BJP in 2008
“I took membership of the party in October 2008 … it was the first MP chosen by people and the party felt they needed to make me the minister,” said the Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Minister of Tourism. Earlier this year, President Droupadi Murmu nominated the BJP veteran from Kannur, Sadanandan Master, to the Rajya Sabha.
Suresh Gopi in his address at the event in Kannur said that many people were in the habit of twisting and misinterpreting his words. He pointed out that his usage of the term “praja” to refer to the people of his constituency, Thrissur, came under criticism.
Giving an example of how sanitation workers who were referred to earlier as manual scavengers were now being referred to as sanitation engineers, the minister said that the usage of ‘praja’ and ‘prajatantra’ by him was twisted by his opponents. “What is wrong with using the word praja?” Gopi said.
