In June, it was a woman CISF constable. On Monday, delivering the unkindest cut of all, was her own party.
The BJP has slapped MP and actor Kangana Ranaut on the wrist for her latest comments against farm protesters, buckling under pressure from a resurgent Opposition in the run-up to elections in the agriculture-heavy state of Haryana.
The party’s prompt — and uncharacteristically placatory — move seemed to again underline the new compulsions facing it following its loss of majority in the general
election.
Kangana, the newly elected MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, had castigated the farmers’ movement in an interview with a Hindi daily on Sunday, alleging “rapes and murders” were committed during the protests.
She also claimed that the 2020-21 protests could have led to a Bangladesh-like crisis had the Narendra Modi government not acted strongly.
Her comments drew angry responses on Monday from not just the Opposition but also some BJP leaders in Punjab and Haryana.
Hours after Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate roasted it, the BJP issued a statement distancing itself from Kangana’s comments, reprimanding the MP, and stressing its commitment to “samajik samrashta” (social harmony).
“The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. The BJP disagrees with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut,” the statement said.
“On behalf of the party, Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on party policy issues. Kangana Ranaut has been directed not to make such statements in the future. The BJP is committed to the principles of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas’ and social harmony.”
The BJP had in the past been known for brazening out intemperate comments by its members. Kangana had herself been rewarded with the party nomination from Mandi despite her provocative comments on various issues, for instance, the anti-citizenship-law protests.
In the past, precious little action was taken against party MP Pragya Singh for terming Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse “a patriot”.
Controversies over her comments on the farmers’ protest do, however, seem to be haunting Kangana.
In June, she was slapped by a woman CISF constable at Chandigarh airport, apparently over certain comments she had allegedly made about the women who participated in the movement.
While BJP leaders indicated that Monday’s swift action was prompted by the upcoming Haryana polls where the farming community can decide a party’s fortunes, many read it as a sign of the third Modi government’s growing weakness.
Just days ago, the government had withdrawn an advertisement for lateral hiring into the bureaucracy after Rahul Gandhi ran a campaign against the bypassing of reservations.
On Monday, Shrinate led the charge against the BJP and its high-profile actor-MP.
“BJP MP Kangana has called the country’s food providers murderers and rapists. She also said that America and China are spreading instability in the country. Meaning, the Modi government is so weak that foreign powers are doing all this?” Shrinate tweeted.
“The government and BJP should break their silence, otherwise, should this be considered their official stand as well?”
The BJP statement was issued a couple of hours after Shrinate’s post. But Shrinate continued to pile pressure on the BJP, demanding Kangana’s expulsion from the party.
“If you don’t agree then expel her from the party. Tell your MP Kangana to apologize to the farmers with folded hands and the BJP itself should apologize to the farmers,” Shrinate posted, attaching a copy of the BJP’s statement.
Farmers’ bodies Samyukt Kisan Morcha and the All India Kisan Sabha too condemned Ranaut’s comments and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“SKM demands PM Narendra Modi himself apologises to the farmers for the reprehensible and untruthful comments made by his party MP,” a statement from the conglomeration of farmers’ unions said. It sought an “unconditional apology” from Ranaut, too.
