Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brother Prahlad Modi and his family were involved in a car accident on Tuesday in Karnataka.
The car in which Prahlad and his family were in collided with a road divider near Mysuru in Karnataka.
Besides the driver, Prahlad, his son, daughter-in-law, and a child were in the car at the time of the accident, sources told PTI.
What we know of PM Modi's brother Prahlad's accident?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brother Prahlad Modi's family is said to have suffered some injuries and have been shifted to JSS Hospital for treatment.
As per the police, the injuries are said to be "minor" in nature.
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The incident happened near Kadakola around 1.30 pm when their car, on the way to Bandipur, is said to have hit the road divider.
Mysuru Superintendent of Police Seema Latkar has visited the spot and the hospital, sources told PTI.
Who is PM Modi's brother Prahlad Modi?
Prahlad Modi is younger brother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Of the six Modi siblings, PM Modi is the third and Prahlad is the fourth.
Like the rest of the Modi family, Prahlad usually maintains a low profile and is not associated with either the Union or state government.
However, Prahlad is associated with fair price shop owners' activism and has often been critical of his elder brother's government. However, he maintains that he respects PM Modi as his brother and wishes for him to continue as Prime Minister. He insists that his criticism is of certain government policies, not that of his brother.
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Most recently, Prahlad was in news in August when he held a protest in New Delhi against government policies.The protest was organised by All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation (AIFPSDF), of which Prahlad is the Vice President.
Prahlad has been associated with AIFPSDF since 2001, as per a report, and has continued to participate in protests even after his elder brother became prime minister in 2014.
Prahlad ran a ration shop for a long time. Last year, the Deccan Herald reported that he had retired recently due to old age.
Fair price shops, commonly called ration shops, function under the Indian public distribution system (PDS) network. These shops are licensed to sell essential goods like wheat, rice, and kerosene to ration-card holders at subsidised rates. People from economically backward and below-poverty-line groups are the main beneficiaries of such shops. Prahlad has been associated with activism over such shops since 2001.
In August, Prahlad and AIFPSDF was protesting over the monetary compensation to far price shop owners.
"We used to get 70 paisa commission on 1 kilogram of ration, now we get 90 paisa. We have been demanding a commission of Rs 4," said Kali Charan Gupta, Co-President of AIFPSDF, to The Print in June about the protest.
PTI reported that other demands cover compensation for loss on rice, wheat and sugar, and also for edible oil and pulses to be supplied through fair price shops. The Federation also demands that the 'West Bengal Ration Model' of free distribution be implemented across the country.
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PM Modi and Prahlad Modi's relationship
Though they don't meet and despite the government's criticism, Prahlad has said he has a good relationship with PM Modi and he respects him.
In 2015, Prahlad told PTI, "What I am doing is not revolt of a brother against a brother. For me my brother is worth worshiping. I respect him. But I am in a profession and had to come to this platform to raise my voice before my brother."
Prahlad only met PM Modi thrice between 2006-14 and has not met him since he became prime minister.
Prahlad told IANS in 2019: "We do not meet or talk on phone frequently, but we are on good terms...He has dedicated his life to the welfare of the nation. We did not meet even when he came to Gandhinagar to seek the blessings of our mother after his swearing in last year. I am a shopkeeper. I do not enjoy any special rights or privileges being the prime minister’s sibling. Yes, as a protocol I have been provided security."
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Prahlad also said he and the rest of the family has a health relationship with Modi's wife Jashodaben.
"Our family enjoys a healthy relationship with Narendra Modi’s wife Jashodaden who lives in Unjha with her brother. We meet her off and on," said Prahlad.
Despite his criticism of his brother's government and protests that he continues to hold, Prahlad remains a supporter and appreciates PM Modi.
He told News-18 in May, "He is the son of India and also the guardian of India. People want more of him, he should remain in government for another 15 years. India is his family and India requires him."
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(With PTI inputs)
