Anthem row: BJP leader asks filmmaker to leave country

Opening a fresh round of debate on the compulsions of nationalism, a senior BJP leader in Kerala on Monday said acclaimed filmmaker Kamal should “leave the country” if he’s not interested in living in India by accepting its symbols.

BJP general secretary A N Radhakrishnan said in Kozhikode that Kamal was associated with outfits like the Social Democratic Party of India and was “rewarded” by the  state government for his criticism of  the prime minister and BJP.

“Kamal is a person who has doubts about whether he should stand or not when the national anthem is being played. If people like him are not interested to live here, they should leave the country,” Radhakrishnan said.

Kamal, chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KSCA), had termed as “unfortunate” the arrest of 11 people for remaining seated at film screenings during last month’s International Film Festival of Kerala here.