Kangana Ranaut, the actor-politician, has once again found herself in a controversy. However, this time she has involved her own party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The 38-year-old Member of Parliament (MP) for Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh was publicly castigated by the BJP hierarchy. After her statements concerning the farmers’ demonstration attracted considerable criticism. The BJP stated that her remarks were not representative, emphasizing that she is not allowed to speak on policy issues.
The dispute arose when Kangana insinuated that the Indian authorities could have saved the nation from a Bangladesh-like crisis if they had not handled the farmers’ protest decisively. “India would also have witnessed similar disorder as Bangladesh and it was in the guise of farmer’s movements. There is an international conspiracy to finish us with help of local people. If not for our foresighted leaders, they could have succeeded. What happened in Bangladesh, it could have easily happened here too. These filmi people are being used by these foreign powers and they do not mind about this country going to the dogs.”
“BJP MP Kangana Ranaut’s statement on the issue of farmers’ movement does not reflect Party’s opinion.” BJP disagrees with Kangana Ranaut’s statement. On matters related to party policy, Kangana Ranaut does not have any authority or permission to speak on behalf of a political organization she belongs to”.
The BJP affirmed in a statement that “it is The Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to following the principles of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ and social harmony,” reads a statement from BJP quoted by NDTV.
During the height of the farmers’ protests against the now-repealed three farm laws in 2020. Kangana mistakenly identified a woman farmer from Punjab who was among the protesters as Bilkis Bano. An elderly woman who had become one of the faces of anti-Citizenship Amendment Law (CAA) protests at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh. Subsequently, Kangana claimed that this woman was “available for Rs. 100”, which meant she could be hired for protesting.
In June this year, upon her way to Delhi she was reportedly slapped by a woman Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable at Chandigarh airport for making those comments again.
