Veteran actor Soni Razdan has taken a firm stand against online trolls after her recent comments regarding firecracker usage were misinterpreted. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the actor clarified that her concerns were strictly centered on public health and the rising levels of air pollution, rather than any religious sentiment. Razdan expressed frustration at how a discussion about the simple necessity of clean air for children has been twisted into a divisive religious debate. She emphasized that her previous labels, including the term ‘anti-national,’ were meant to highlight the irresponsibility of endangering public health for personal pleasure, rather than attacking any specific faith.
In her latest statement, Razdan urged the public to look past the noise and focus on the collective responsibility of safeguarding the health of the country’s youth. She pointed out that children across all communities are currently struggling with air quality, often missing school due to illness caused by pollution. According to the actor, choosing not to burst crackers is not a slight against national identity, but a conscious decision to protect the well-being of every citizen. She pleaded with her critics to stop turning a health crisis into a political or religious issue, stressing that clean air is a fundamental right for all children.
This controversy follows Razdan’s earlier Instagram post where she described the act of bursting crackers amid severe pollution as ‘anti-life’ and ‘anti-health.’ The debate surrounding firecracker usage has been particularly heated this season, echoing a recent incident involving the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The BMC had previously pulled an eco-friendly Diwali awareness video featuring actor Dia Mirza following political backlash, only for the Bombay High Court to intervene. The court expressed strong displeasure over the political interference and directed the civic body to restore the video, reminding all parties that India remains a secular nation where public health discourse should not be suppressed by political agendas.