Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut stirred yet another controversy –not for the first time–by suggesting that the farmers’ protests could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation if strong measures had not been taken by the government.
In a video shared by the actress on social media platform X, she alleged that “bodies were seen hanging and rapes were taking place” during farmers protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. Social media users condemned her statement saying, “BJP MP Kangana Ranaut says “dead bodies were hanging and rapes were “taking place” at the farmers protest Her statement is highly derogatory and demeaning for the farming community in general and Sikhs in particular and is part of a sinister plot to defame Sikhs and make them a target of hate crime in other parts of the country. Strict action for promoting hatred between communities needs to be taken against her. Demanded the AAP chief minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Singh Mann.
On June 6, 2024, two days after emerging victorious in a hotly contested parliamentary election, Kangana Ranaut, a favourite actor of the BJP-RSS regime, was in for a rude shock when she was allegedly slapped by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Chandigarh airport over her comments on the farmer protests of 2020-21. At a time when a section of people were trying to paint the protesters – who were agitating against three laws related to the agriculture sector brought in by the Narendra Modi government – as Khalistani supporters, the actor had also made a few statements.
Earlier, in 2020, Ms Ranaut had allegedly misidentified a woman farmer from Punjab who was taking part in the protests and called her Bilkis Bano, an elderly woman who had become one of the faces of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Law (CAA) protests earlier in Shaheen Bagh. She had also said the woman was “available for ₹ 100”, suggesting she could be hired for protests.
BJP statement
The social media and political storm created by her derogatory remarks compelled the BJP to publicly reprimand her. “The statement given by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. BJP expresses disagreement with the statement of Kangana Ranaut. On behalf of the Party, Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorized to make statements on Party policy issues. On behalf of BJP, Ms. Kangana Ranaut has been directed not to make any such statement in future. BJP is determined to follow the principles of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ and social harmony.”
BJP MP @KanganaTeam says “dead bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place” at the farmers protest.
BJP : “The statement given by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. BJP expresses disagreement with the statement of… pic.twitter.com/3Qi9NvxZB8
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 26, 2024
Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns Kangana
The SKM has also condemned the “shameful and false comments of BJP MP Kangana Ranaut” The umbrella organisation representing over 300 farmer organisations has also demanded that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi himself apologises to the farmers for the reprehensible and untruthful comments made by his party MP besides an unconditional apology from Ranaut herself. Or else, the SKM says, farmers will be forced to call for her public boycott –
In a statement issued on Sunday, August 25, SKM has taken note of the shockingly derogatory and factually incorrect comments made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in an interview. “It is extremely painful that this MP, who is a habitual abuser of farmers, has now taken the extreme step of calling Indian farmers murderers, rapists, conspirators, and anti-national. It is not surprising that this MP is making such utterances because it has been the long-standing policy of BJP to insult, denigrate and discredit the historic anti-corporate farmers’ movement led by SKM at the borders of Delhi. Despite insults and deliberate provocation, SKM has always ensured that the farmers’ protests against the anti-farmer laws and pro-corporate policies of the BJP led Union Govt remains peaceful, lawful and in accordance with exercise of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India.”
The statement continues stating that “the most significant achievement of the farmers’ movement was its massive character and the supreme sacrifice of 736 martyrs. Among them were the five victims of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre of four farmers and one journalist mowed down under running vehicles of Kangana Ranut’s party leader and former Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Teni and his son who are facing trial for murder charges. Not a single person was killed in any violence caused by the farmers’ movement during the entire period of farmers’ struggle around the Capital city.”
Besides, says the SKM statement, “the farmers’ movement is the successor of the great anti-colonial struggle of the Indian people against British Imperialism and still fights against the imperialist driven corporate forces and policies. It is better for Kangana Ranaut to try to learn the history and politics of the farmers’ movement in India before terming it as anti-national.
Demanding that t PM Narendra Modi himself apologises to the farmers of India for the reprehensible and untruthful comments made by an MP of his party, SKM has stated that “It is high time the PM stands with the ‘annadatas’ of India and does not allow his party and its members to misbehave with those who are providing food security to the nation. It is not only the PM’s constitutional duty, but people of India expect no less from him.
Finally the SKM has further demanded that BJP MP Kangana Ranaut immediately issue an unconditional apology to farmers of India for her inappropriate and incorrect statements and uphold the dignity of her office, failing which SKM shall have no option but to issue a call for her public boycott.
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Delhi Assembly committee summons Kangana Ranaut for remarks on Sikhs