Assam: Actor Ravi Sarma rebukes artists who opposed 'CAA' for joining BJP

Guwahati: Popular Assamese actor Ravi Sarma today lashed out at the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protesting artistes who have gone on to join the BJP, which brought in the controversial legislation in the first place.

Speaking to media the actor, who was once in the BJP and left the party earlier this year due to differences over the 'CAA', also said that these artists have belittled the CAA protestors and their movement to scrap the legislation that fast-tracks citizenship to people from the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

"I do not have any intention to join a political party. I resigned from the BJP as it brought the CAA which is against the interest of Assam and its people. The artists who took part in the CAA protest and recently joined the BJP actually have defamed their co-protestors," Sarma added.

It is to be noted that a large number of artists including celebrated flute player Dipak Sarma, singer Vidyasagar, singer Simanta Shekhar, and actress Asha Bordoloi -- among the most prominent faces of the anti-CAA agitation that rocked Assam at the turn of the year, have recently joined the BJP. 

On Tuesday, as many as 40 artistes, including popular singers, musicians, and film personalities, joined the Grand Old Party in Guwahati, while 28 went with the ruling BJP.

Vocalist Babu Baruah, music composer Ajoy Phukan, and 38 other fellow artistes joined the Congress in the presence of the party chief Ripun Bora and state in-charge Harish Rawat. Channeling anti Citizenship (Amendment) Act sentiments, the newly added members also released a song, CAA Namanu (We won't agree with CAA), at the event.

Singer Simanta Shekhar, flutist Deepak Sarma and actors Pranjit Das, Reba Phukan, and Pranjana Dutta are among the prominent names who joined the saffron brigade in the presence of the state party chief Ranjit Dass at the party's state headquarters in Hengrabari.

Sarma, however, declined to pass a comment on Assam's singing superstar Zubeen Garg amid speculations over the star's possibility of joining a party ahead of the polls in 2021. Garg, who was one of the strongest voices in the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the state, recently earned a few haters after he was declared as Assam Agriculture Ministry's brand ambassador.

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