Earlier this week, Dia Mirza received widespread backlash for her social media posts where she requested people to not burn firecrackers this year on Diwali. Many other celebrities followed suit, posting similar messages. One of them was actor and Alia Bhatt’s mother Soni Razdan. However, after a section of netizens accused her of being anti-culture, Soni Razdan decided to post a clarification message.

Taking to her X page, she wrote, “To everyone on X who wishes to twist my post into something that it is not… I think you are simply unable to see the woods for the trees." 

Offering clarification on her use of ‘anti national’ term in her post, Soni added, "Let me clarify something, since my use of the word anti-national seems to have caused so much confusion. Bursting crackers is not what makes you nationalistic. And choosing not to burst them is certainly not anti-national. What I find deeply irresponsible, however, is knowingly contributing to the appalling air pollution that is making it increasingly difficult for people to breathe. If we are going to use the term anti-national, then surely putting the health of an entire community at risk for the sake of a few moments of personal pleasure is a far more relevant place to start."

Also offering strong remarks on not twisting her remarks into something about religion, Soni added, “And must every conversation about something as basic as public health be turned into a debate about religion? This is NOT about religion. It is about AIR. It is about children falling ill, missing school and struggling to breathe. It is about the health and wellbeing of every citizen of this country, irrespective of their religion, faith or beliefs. Because these are your children too. They are everyone’s children. And they deserve to breathe clean air.”

In a separate post, the actor noted, “My post about bursting crackers and therefore adding to air pollution seeming anti-health and actually anti-national has gotten some very peculiar responses. It seems some cannot distinguish between culture and common sense or are determined to make everything about religion.”