New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) Actor-MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday took back her comments calling for bringing back the three farm laws repealed in 2021, saying she should remember she is not just an artiste but also a BJP member. This is not the first time the Mandi MP has found herself in trouble for her remarks.
As the “Queen” star found herself in the middle of a row, with the BJP distancing itself and the Congress attacking it, here’s a look at some of the controversies, political and otherwise: * Just last month, Ranaut, who was voted as Lok Sabha MP in June this year, alleged that the farmers’ agitation against the three farm legislations was building up to a “Bangladesh-type situation in India”, and that “dead bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place” at the site of the protests.
The BJP denounced her remarks and made it clear she is neither permitted nor authorised to comment on the party’s policy matters.
* Ranaut’s latest film “Emergency” is currently stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and also missed its release date earlier this month. Ranaut, who plays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the movie she has co-written, co-produced and directed, has been constantly targeting the CBFC and once called it a “redundant body”.
The film has courted criticism from several Sikh religious bodies who claim it may “incite communal tensions” and “spread misinformation”. * In November 2021, Ranaut was criticised for her remarks at an event organised by a news channel, declaring that India attained “real freedom” in 2014, when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, and saying Independence in 1947 was “bheek”, or alms.
The controversial statement, which came two days after she was presented the Padma Shri by then President Ram Nath Kovind, led to outrage from several quarters, including politicians from across the spectrum, historians, academics, fellow actors and others, with many saying she should return her award. * In May 2021, social media platform Twitter, now called X, announced it had permanently suspended Ranaut’s account for “repeated violations” of its hateful conduct and abusive behaviour policies.
The actor posted several incendiary messages following the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress’ win over the BJP in West Bengal and incidents of post-poll violence that year.
The social media platform had earlier suspended her sister Rangoli Chandel’s account after which Ranaut had become active on Twitter. Ranaut’s account was restored in January 2023 after Tesla boss Elon Musk acquired the microblogging site. * During the farmers’ protests in 2020-2021, Ranaut made several derogatory remarks, calling the protesting farmers “terrorists” in one instance. She was embroiled in a bitter war of words with Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh after she misidentified a woman farmer from Punjab as Bilkis Bano, the octogenarian who made international headlines during the anti-CAA protests. * In November 2020, veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar filed a criminal defamation complaint against Ranaut, claiming the actor defamed and damaged his reputation by dragging his name into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in her interview with a news channel in July 2020.
Ranaut hit back by filing a counter-complaint against Akhtar before a magistrate’s court, alleging criminal intimidation and insult to modesty. The actor had alleged that during her meeting with the lyricist at his residence in 2016, he had criminally intimidated her demanding that she apologise to a co-star.The matter is currently in court.
* In September 2020, she was at loggerheads with the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government after she compared Mumbai to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and criticised the Mumbai Police.
After that, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished “illegal alterations” at her bungalow in Bandra’s Pali Hill area.
* In August 2020, Ranaut courted trouble over her claim that 99 per cent of people in Bollywood consume drugs. Her comments came in the aftermath of Rajput’s death. The statement was later criticised by several actors from the Hindi film industry and many political parties. PTI RB RB RDS MIN MIN
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