Kangana's 'country don't have fathers' remark sparks row
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has once again found herself in the midst of controversy. This time, it's over a social media post related to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. In her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Ranaut paid tribute to Shastri on his 120th birth anniversary with a message that seemed to undermine Gandhi's status as the Father of the Nation.
Ranaut's social media post and subsequent backlash
"Desh ke pita nahi, desh ke to lal hote hai. Dhanye hai Bharat ma ke ye lal ('The country does not have fathers; it has sons. Blessed are these sons of Mother India)," Ranaut wrote in the post. This post has ignited a fresh controversy for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate criticized Ranaut for her "lewd jibe" at Gandhi on X (formerly Twitter).
Congress and BJP leaders criticize Ranaut's remarks
Shrinate questioned if Prime Minister Narendra Modi would forgive his party's new "Godse devotee." She said, "There is the Father of the Nation, there are sons, and there are martyrs. Everyone deserves respect." Meanwhile, Manoranjan Kalia—a senior BJP leader from Punjab—also criticized Ranaut for her latest remarks.
'Politics is not her field': BJP leader
"I condemn Kangana Ranaut's comments made on Gandhi ji's 155th birth anniversary. In her short political career, she has developed a habit of making controversial statements," Kalia said in a video posted on social media. "Politics is not her field. Politics is a serious affair. One must think before speaking... Her controversial remarks cause trouble for the party," he added.
Ranaut's previous controversy over farm laws
Last month, Ranaut faced backlash for advocating the return of the three farm laws repealed in 2021. The newly-elected MP, alleged that the farmers' agitation against these laws was leading to a "Bangladesh-type situation in India." She claimed that "dead bodies were hanging, and rapes were taking place" at the protest sites. However, she later retracted her statement after a slap on the wrist by the BJP.
