Actor R Madhavan in a response to a tweet by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the micro-blogging site thanked Modi for his unrelenting passion for strengthening the democracy in this country and extended his support in assisting Modi in his endeavour.

Dear Shri Modi ji. Sir.Your unrelenting passion for strengthening Democracy in this country, is totally and completely supported by me and it will not just be an Honour and privelege, but my ardent duty to assist you in this endeavor. Thank you for personally reminding us. https://t.co/jD6OIqvQ27 — Ranganathan Madhavan (@ActorMadhavan) March 24, 2019

PM Modi has been urging celebrities including actors and sportspersons to use their stardom to encourage voters to come out and exercise their right to vote in the upcoming general elections. Prime Minister Modi had tweeted that since the people of the country admire actors like Madhavan and Hrithik if they come out and help in increasing voter awareness, it would strengthen India’s democracy.

Dear @iHrithik and @ActorMadhavan, Your work has stood out not only for the entertainment quotient but also for the passion and hardwork behind it. As widely respected voices, if you lend your voice towards increasing voter awareness, it strengthens India’s democracy. #VoteKar — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 24, 2019

However, R Madhavan’s appeal to his fan base to come out and vote didn’t go down too well with those who like to identify themselves as ‘liberals’. The respectful titles he used to address the prime minister of the country were mocked.

Aiyyo Maddy! The correct title is Supreme Leader Shri Modi ji… https://t.co/ilPhIqlXMZ — Suresh Mathew (@Suresh_Mathew_) March 25, 2019

Shri bhi

Ji bhi

Sir bhi

Because “yes master” is so last century. https://t.co/iaYnvcFcEA — Aditi (hot takes 4 koolkidz) (@awryaditi) March 25, 2019

Soon, the so-called liberals were hounding him, asking whether he’d say the same if other politicians had asked him to urge his fans to vote. Which is kind of silly to begin with because he was asking people to vote, not specifying whom to vote for.

Maddy, let me put it differently: would you have responded the same way if a Mamata Banerjee, Kanhaiya Kumar or Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted you the same message/request? Context: Narendra Modi’s tweets to celebrities: conversation vs. broadcast https://t.co/4CHNhbBXZW — Karthik (@beastoftraal) March 25, 2019

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Madhavan, like any sensible individual who knows how a responsible citizen should behave, replied he would have done the same had it been any other politician asking him to lend his voice for a cause.

I would have done exactly the SAME .. if it was in the Intrest of Democracy and the Nation I would have done EXACTLY THE SAME .. https://t.co/jdWkGIjzQR — Ranganathan Madhavan (@ActorMadhavan) March 25, 2019

At that point, the focus shifted to Madhavan’s way of replying which ‘dog whistled trolls’ to descend upon their timelines.

I am so sorry, that was not my intention at all. I was merely perplexed at what irked you. Apologies for the filth you may have to endure on my account . I do not endorse nor stand by that aspect of trolling . https://t.co/rRLm6spxQe — Ranganathan Madhavan (@ActorMadhavan) March 25, 2019

A visibly clueless Madhavan apologised if anyone felt abused, but held his ground. At that point, he was again hounded.

So “please vote” as opposed to “not voting” IS my point of view in this https://t.co/9JZjgwJWq0 does responding to your tweet become a dog https://t.co/ekM8WNmKhj have done the same by that account. The filth,I resent as much as you do and again denounce them Rigorously I am done https://t.co/e1IFnnsmIr — Ranganathan Madhavan (@ActorMadhavan) March 25, 2019

As bizarre as it sounds, R Madhavan had to face the anger from ‘liberals’ not because he asked people to go out and vote, but because he did so to support PM Modi who is urging everyone to go out and vote. This is the second time in ten days’ time that he had to face the wrath of the ‘liberals’ for voicing his views. A few days back, in reacting to a distasteful video posted by Congress when China blocked Masood Azhar from being named as a global terrorist for the fourth time, Madhavan had been critical. The criticism, too, had not gone too well with the ‘liberals’.