Notwithstanding the tendering an apology as well withdrawing her statement vis-a-vis farm laws, BJP leaders from Himachal are conspicuously silent about Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut’s latest incendiary remarks demanding the revival of three farm laws which, she insists, will “benefit” the farmers.
Kangana’s remarks come in the middle of a heated Assembly election campaign in Haryana and has left the BJP red-faced because the Centre had repealed the farm laws in 2022 after a year-long struggle with the farmers of Punjab and Haryana who had laid a siege of Delhi. She had earlier described the farmers as “terrorists,” a deeply offensive remark that had prompted the Congress to seize the moment and exploit it politically.
The Congress party has again lambasted Kangana for her remarks and reminded her of the loss of more than 650 lives during the farmers' stir. AAP leaders have also criticised the film actor and asked voters to reject BJP which was anti farmers. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition, condemned her statement and described it as an insult to the farmers. He described the outburst as a disregard to the sacrifices made by the farmers during the stir and accused BJP of being an anti farming community. BJP spokesman, Gaurav Bhatia has termed Kanagna’s statement as her “personal views” and not of the party.
The Bollywood actor has a history of speaking her mind. She has made the BJP uncomfortable with her remarks, but BJP leaders, especially from Himachal, have been conspicuously silent. Recently she targeted Sonia Gandhi with allegations of financial impropriety, comments that have horrified the party, which seems to be at a loss for words to defend her. Himachal being largely agrarian in nature, anti-farming community remarks have been condemned in Mandi constituency as well as in the entire state.
BJP insiders had hoped party president J P Nadda’s guidance would rein her in — especially since Nadda also hails from Himachal Pradesh — but it seems her penchant for controversy continues unabated.
The remarks against Sonia Gandhi have rattled the political landscape in Himachal Pradesh, where Congress leaders have threatened legal action against her if she doesn’t issue a public apology.
Congress leaders are on the offensive. Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh has led the charge, demanding that Kangana apologize within a week or face a defamation lawsuit. Singh derided her comments as the ramblings of an “illiterate” and intellectually bankrupt individual. He openly challenged her to provide evidence of even a single rupee being diverted to Sonia Gandhi. Another senior Congress leader suggested that Kangana, in her desperate bid to curry favour with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was attempting to outdo even the most fervent loyalists.
Kangana’s opponents have long questioned whether Nadda’s piece of advice to her to act more responsibly as an elected MP of Mandi will ever sink in.
The “Queen” of Bollywood, Kangana has remained silent in the face of these political attacks, but another reprimand from the BJP leadership seems inevitable. A closer examination of Kangana’s track record reveals that she rarely expresses remorse for her political missteps, many of which have embarrassed her own party. The unapologetic star continues to be a thorn in the side of the BJP, with her controversies often eclipsing her work as an MP.
Kangana’s career in Bollywood has been marked by incredible success, but also a fair share of turbulence. Her unyielding, controversial nature has ensured that she remains one of India’s most talked-about public figures. Whether celebrated as a fearless icon who challenges the status quo, or criticized as a provocateur who thrives on conflict, Kangana’s influence is undeniable. She remains unapologetically herself, unfazed by the storms she creates—a force that commands attention both on screen and in the halls of power.
(Writer is political analyst and senior journalist based in Shimla)