Subhadra Mukherjee quits BJP over Delhi violence

Film and television actress Subhadra Mukherjee quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 28 February, following the recent spate of violence in Delhi.

The actress, who had joined the BJP in 2013 hoping to be part of Narendra Modi’s vision of an alternative India, started doubting the party’s intentions when it introduced the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and proposed the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) in 2019.

Following the Delhi violence, which left at least 47 people dead and more than 200 injured and rendered thousands homeless, the actress realized that the “rule of law was not being respected by the government”.

In an interview with the website rediff.com, Mukherjee said, “I am not liking this Hindu-Muslim divide in the country. Every time, religion can't be made into an issue in politics. The Delhi riots was one more jolt to me. Then when the government issued the transfer of Delhi high court judge S Muralidhar overnight, I felt it was time to say goodbye to the BJP.”

Though the actress supports the CAA for providing citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, she certainly does not feel that the entire population of the country needs to go through the troublesome process of proving its citizenship.

“Moreover, they have got religion into it, and, worse, the hatred that is being spread in the name of NRC. Muslims are our brothers. They have stayed here for centuries. You cannot throw them out of our country,” she added.

The actress also feels that three BJP politicians, Union minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur, member of Parliament Parvesh Verma and former legislator Kapil Mishra, who gave speeches inciting violence, must be arrested.

Mukherjee added, “Another person who must be thrown in jail is Waris Pathan of the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. He said 15 crore Muslims can easily take on 100 crore Hindus. What kind of language is this? Those who speak of violence and hatred are roaming openly and not being arrested.”

The actress, however, said she would not quit working for the people. She said she would concentrate now on helping the poor, especially those who don’t have papers to prove their citizenship.