Punjab: Sikh leaders across parties back actor Diljit Dosanjh against call to revoke citizenship

Chandigarh, Jul 6 (PTI) Amid a row over singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh's film 'Sardaar Ji 3' featuring Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, Sikh leaders from across parties have come out in Dosanjh's support terming calls to revoke his citizenship as unfair.

Trade unions like the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) and the Federation of Western lndia Cine Employees (FWICE) have criticised Dosanjh for collaborating with Aamir in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, with FWICE demanding that his citizenship be cancelled. Many social media users have also called for a ban on the Punjabi actor-musician.

Political leaders have not called for allowing the release of the film in India, but they have strongly backed Dosanjh over calls made by some to revoke the actor's Indian citizenship.

The movie has been released abroad.

Various leaders including Partap Singh Bajwa from the Congress, BJP's R P Singh, and AAP's Kultar Sandhwan came out in Dosanjh's support.

Bajwa, who is Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, recently said call to revoke Dosanjh's Indian citizenship over the casting of the Pakistani actress in the movie is not only unreasonable but also completely unjustified.

"Dosanjh is a celebrated Indian artiste who has made all of us proud on the global stage. He has taken Indian and Punjabi culture to Coachella and represented our heritage at the Met Gala event that are prestigious platforms followed worldwide," Bajwa said.

He had emphasized that such international representation should be applauded, not questioned.

"Attacking our own talent, especially someone who has consistently showcased India's rich cultural tapestry globally, is not just unfair,“ it is regressive," Bajwa had said.

The Congress leader had further stated that artistic collaborations should not be politicised in this manner.

BJP national spokesperson R P Singh recently said Dosanjh is not just a celebrated artiste,” he is a national asset and a global ambassador of Indian culture.

"FWICE's call to revoke his Indian citizenship over an inadvertent and pre-incident film shoot is not only unfair but shockingly disproportionate. The film featuring a Pakistani actress was shot before the Pahalgam attack.

"If there is anguish, it can be expressed through a boycott or by urging that the film not be screened in India. But attacking Diljit's patriotism and demanding such an extreme step is simply irrational," Singh had posted on X.

The BJP leader had said just days before the Pahalgam incident, the Indian cricket team played a match against Pakistan.

"Did FWICE or others object then? TV news channels routinely invite Pakistani guests to boost TRPs. Should those anchors now relinquish their citizenship too? Let's not cheapen nationalism or weaponize patriotism. FWICE should reconsider its stance, ”such targeting of our own talent only weakens our moral standing," Singh had said.

Shiromani Akali Dal's core committee had also expressed solidarity with Dosanjh and asserted that the actor was being wrongfully persecuted.

The SAD core committee had said Dosanjh was being embroiled in a needless controversy and said efforts should be made to discourage the politics of hate.

Punjab Assembly Speaker and AAP leader Sandhwan also spoke up for Dosanjh.

BJP leader and actor Hobby Dhaliwal had also extended support to Dosanjh, saying he is not just an artiste, but a globally respected face of Punjabi culture.

Dhaliwal said the film in question was shot well before the Pahalgam attack, during a time when cultural exchanges between both nations were common.

Dosanjh had recently defended his decision to release 'Sardaar Ji 3' in the overseas territories amid controversy over the casting of Pakistani actor Aamir.

The film's producers are already facing losses as the film won't come out in India due to ban on Pakistani artistes and in such a scenario, it is justified to release it overseas, he had added.

"When this film was made, the situation was fine. We shot it in February and everything was going well at that time. Look, there are a lot of things, big things, that are not in our control. So the producers decided that obviously, now this film won't release in India, so let's release it overseas," Dosanjh had said.

Earlier this year, Dosanjh sprang a surprise when a day after his 'Dil-Luminati' India tour ended in Ludhiana on December 31, he had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on New Year's Day.

The globally popular singer had met the prime minister at his Delhi residence where they discussed music, culture, and India's artistic legacy.

Relations between India and Pakistan hit an all-time low after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. In retaliation, the Indian armed forces carried out strikes on nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, in an operation codenamed Operation Sindoor. PTI SUN VSD KVK KVK