In a sharp reaction to Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s reported comments on the Indus Waters Treaty, BJP leader and veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty issued a fiery warning. The actor-turned-politician’s remarks came after Bhutto reportedly stated, “If Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces an attack on the Indus River, he will be attacking our history, culture and civilization… The people of Pakistan have the strength to confront Modi in case of war.” Bhutto also reportedly warned that in the event of another war, Pakistan would “restore all its six rivers”.

Zardari was formerly Pakistan’s 37th Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2022 to 2023.

Chakraborty responded by saying: “Agar aisi baatein karte rahenge aur hamari khopdi sanak gayi toh phir ek ke baad ek BrahMos chalega (If you keep talking like this and we lose our minds, then one BrahMos after the other will be launched)… After that, we will open the dam, and a tsunami will occur. I have nothing against the people of Pakistan. I have said all of this to (Bhutto).”

He had started his comment in a soft tone: “I don’t want to say anything against the country of Pakistan. People of Pakistan are good, they also don’t want war.”

Chakraborty’s comments come amid renewed tensions over the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. India had previously suspended the treaty following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people on April 22. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently announced that India would not be reactivating the historic agreement, stating that the treaty was for “peace and progress,” which Pakistan had violated.

This is not the first time Chakraborty has been at the centre of controversy for his inflammatory statements. In 2024, he faced a police complaint for a speech where he allegedly said, “We will chop them (up) and bury them in the ground.” He has also been a vocal critic of the West Bengal government, calling for the imposition of President’s Rule in the state following alleged incidents of political violence.