BJP reprimands Kangana Ranaut over remarks on farmers’ protest

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday reprimanded actor-MP Kangana Ranaut over her remarks linking farmers’ protest to Bangladesh unrest.

“BJP MP Ms Kangana Ranaut’s statement on farmers’ protest is not the party’s stand. The Bharatiya Janata Party disagrees with the remark made by Ms Kangana Ranaut. Neither Ms. Kangana Ranaut is permitted to speak on policy issues of the BJP, nor she is authorised to do so,” the BJP said in a statement.

“The BJP has directed Ms Kangana Ranaut to not issue such statements in the future. The Bharatiya Janata Party is committed towards social harmony as per the motto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayaas”.

Earlier in the day, Ranaut had stirred a controversy over her remark claiming that the farmers’ protest could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation if strong measures were not been taken by the Narendra Modi government.

In a video shared by the actor on her X handle, Ranaut was heard saying,”Bangladesh-like anarchy could have happened in India also like in the name of Farmers protest. Outside forces are planning to destroy us with the help of insiders. If it wouldn’t have been foresight of our leadership they would have succeded.”

Kangana on farmers’ protest

This is not the first time when Kangana Ranaut has courted controversy over the farmers’ protest that took place in 2020-21 against the now scrapped farm laws.

During the farmers’ protest, the actor in an X post had mistakenly identified an elderly woman as Bilkis Bano, a prominent figure from the Shaheen Bagh protests. She claimed that the woman was “available for ₹100” to participate in protests.

Days after she was elected as an MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, Kangana Ranaut was allegedly slapped by a CISF personnel at Chandigarh airport on June 6.

The CISF constable had said that her mother was among the farmers holding a sit-in protest against the farm laws, which now have been repealed.

“She stated that the farmers are sitting there for ₹100. Will she go and sit there? My mother was sitting there and protesting when she gave this statement…” she said. The 15-month-long farmers’ protest was held against the farm laws (now repealed) including other issues.