BJP Backs Diljit Dosanjh Amid Citizenship Row: “He’s a National Asset, Stop Weaponising Patriotism”

Punjab: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has thrown its weight behind popular Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, strongly opposing demands to revoke his Indian citizenship after controversy broke out over his film Sardaar Ji 3. Party leaders described Dosanjh as a “national asset and global ambassador of Indian culture,” urging an end to what they called the “politics of targeting artists.”

The uproar began after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding strict action against Dosanjh for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the film. FWICE even went as far as seeking cancellation of Dosanjh’s citizenship. The film, shot well before the recent Pahalgam terror attack, released overseas on June 27 but was withheld from Indian screens to avoid inflaming public sentiment.

BJP national spokesperson R.P. Singh defended Dosanjh in a detailed post on X, saying, “He is not just a celebrated artist; he is a national asset and a global ambassador of Indian culture.” Singh described FWICE’s demands as “shockingly disproportionate,” arguing that the film’s production predated the terror attack and did not warrant such retroactive backlash.

“TV channels host Pakistani guests, our cricket team plays Pakistan — were those criticised too?” Singh asked, urging the industry body to rethink its position and cautioning against the misuse of patriotic sentiment to attack an Indian artist.

Echoing that stand, Punjabi actor and BJP Punjab Culture Cell Convenor Hobby Dhaliwal addressed reporters in Chandigarh, slamming attempts to tarnish Dosanjh’s reputation. Dhaliwal stressed that the movie followed legal norms and insisted Dosanjh was being unfairly targeted. “Diljit is the son of this soil. Punjab stands with him, and India too,” Dhaliwal declared, expressing dismay that artists who build India’s cultural brand were facing political attacks.

Meanwhile, producer Gunbir Singh Sidhu revealed that about 40 per cent of the film’s potential earnings would be lost by not screening in India. Sidhu also took aim at Hania Aamir’s previous controversial remarks about India’s Operation Sindoor, which had further fuelled the row.