On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized its Lok Sabha MP and film actor Kangana Ranaut for her controversial remarks about the farmers’ protest. The party stated that it disagrees with her comments and emphasized that she is neither allowed nor authorized to speak on the party’s policy issues.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party has instructed Kangana Ranaut not to make such statements in the future,” the ruling party said in a statement, as her remarks threatened to reignite an issue that the party has worked hard to manage over the years.
Kangana, who represents Mandi in the Lok Sabha, had posted a video clip from her interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar, in which she suggested that India could have faced a “Bangladesh-like situation” if not for its strong leadership. She also claimed that “bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place” during the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws, and alleged that China and the United States were involved in a “conspiracy.”
The BJP responded, “The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut regarding the farmers’ agitation does not reflect the party’s views. The Bharatiya Janata Party expresses its disagreement with Kangana Ranaut’s statement.”
This is not the first time the actress has made controversial remarks about the farmers’ protest. Here are some of her previous statements that have sparked significant controversy:
On Punjab:
Kangana was reportedly slapped by a CISF woman constable at Chandigarh airport following her repeated statements on the farmers’ protest. After the incident, she claimed to be “concerned about the rising terrorism and extremism in Punjab.”
On Rihanna and Greta Thunberg:
Kangana has been outspoken in her criticism of the farmers’ protests, alleging that they were influenced by foreign entities. Between 2020 and 2021, several international figures, including singer Rihanna, expressed support for the protests. In response to Rihanna’s tweet, Kangana accused the Barbadian singer, whose net worth is estimated at $600 million (₹4300 crore, according to Forbes), of charging “at least ₹100 crore” for her tweet.
Kangana wrote, “She is a singer like Sunidhi Chauhan or Neha Kakkar. She can shake her bum cheeks and expose her a** crack right into the camera lens while singing. Yeah, that’s all. Nothing else.”
She also criticized Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg for supporting the farmers’ agitation, dismissing her as a “spoilt brat” and alleging she was being manipulated by the left-lobby to skip her education.
