BJP, Karni Sena Hit Out at Swara Bhasker Over Jauhar Remarks
BJP and Karni Sena condemn Swara Bhasker's remarks on the jauhar tradition shown in Padmaavat, calling them disrespectful to women.
Actor Swara Bhasker has found herself at the centre of a fresh controversy after comments she made about the practice of 'jauhar' as depicted in the 2018 film Padmaavat. The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rajput organisation Karni Sena.
Speaking at a recent event, Bhasker questioned the glorification of the tradition, in which women are shown choosing self-immolation to avoid capture by invading armies. She said such a narrative implies that she would feel like a coward for not killing herself to 'save her honour'. She also questioned the message this sends to survivors of sexual violence in a society already grappling with what she termed a rape epidemic.
Following an online backlash, the actor released a video clarifying her stance. She stated that she had not used the word 'coward' for Rani Padmavati, the film's central character played by Deepika Padukone. Bhasker had also previously written an open letter to the film's director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, when the movie was released.
Reacting to her comments, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused her of speaking in a voice that is not her own. He said her 'swara'—a Hindi word for voice—is distorted and fed to her from above. He stressed that no such comments should be made and that it is essential for every woman to respect other women.
Separately, a BJP leader in Bihar has lodged a police complaint against Bhasker, accusing her of making derogatory statements against Hindu society and Rajput women. The Karni Sena, which had protested the film's release over concerns about how Padmavati was portrayed, also condemned the actor. Its women's wing chief warned against insulting Hindu female warriors and their sacrifice, while also questioning why the actor did not speak about regressive traditions in other communities.
The film's climax depicts Rani Padmavati leading the women of Chittor in a mass act of self-immolation to avoid capture by Alauddin Khilji's army. The movie is based on a 16th-century epic poem by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi.