BJP criticises Kangana Ranaut's comment on farm laws as Congress backlash grows; Mandi MP responds
PTC News Desk: Kangana Ranaut, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Mandi, has stirred fresh controversy by suggesting that the three farm laws—repealed after prolonged protests by farmers—should be reintroduced. As her comments sparked outrage, particularly from the opposition, the BJP swiftly distanced itself from her remarks, clarifying that she is not authorised to speak on the party’s behalf regarding this issue.
In a video statement released on Tuesday, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia emphasized that Kangana’s views on the farm laws are her personal opinions and do not reflect the party’s official stance.
Absolutely, my views on Farmers Laws are personal and they don’t represent party’s stand on those Bills. Thanks. https://t.co/U4byptLYuc — Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 24, 2024
“Kangana Ranaut’s statement regarding the farm bills, which were previously withdrawn by the central government, is circulating on social media. I want to make it clear that this is her personal opinion. She is not authorized to speak on behalf of the BJP, and her statement does not represent the party’s position. We disapprove of her remarks,” Bhatia stated.
Kangana Ranaut responded to the clarification, acknowledging that her views were indeed personal. She wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “Absolutely, my views on the Farmers Laws are personal and they don’t represent the party’s stand on those Bills. Thanks.”
Do listen to this, I stand with my party regarding Farmers Law. Jai Hind ???????? pic.twitter.com/wMcc88nlK2 — Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 25, 2024
Earlier, while speaking to the media, Ranaut had made a bold statement: “I know this might be controversial, but the three farm laws should be brought back. Farmers themselves should demand it.”
Her remarks triggered a sharp response from opposition leaders. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja criticized her, labeling her as “habitually controversial” and suggesting that she was “mentally unstable.” He added, “Some people thrive on creating controversy, and the BJP seems to benefit from her statements. She comments on farmers, Punjab, the Emergency, and Rahul Gandhi. Other MPs don’t make such inflammatory statements.”
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also condemned Ranaut’s statement, sharing a video of the actress on X and saying, “‘All three farm laws should be brought back’: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut. More than 750 farmers were martyred while protesting these black farm laws. We will never allow their return. Haryana will answer first,” referencing the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana.
Pawan Khera, head of Congress' media and publicity department, echoed this sentiment, stating that Kangana’s remarks reflect the BJP’s “real thinking.” He accused the party of deceiving the farmers and shared the video on X, saying, “How many times will you deceive the farmers, you two-faced people?”
This is not the first time the BJP has publicly distanced itself from Kangana’s remarks. Last month, the party made a similar move after she commented on the farmers’ protests. At the time, the BJP had directed her to refrain from making statements on party policy matters, reiterating that she was not authorised to speak on its behalf.
In a previous instance, Kangana had controversially claimed that the farmers' protests were a precursor to a “Bangladesh-like situation” in India, alleging that crimes, including rapes and murders, were taking place at protest sites.
The three contentious farm laws—Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act—were introduced in June 2020 and later repealed in November 2021 after nationwide protests.
The protests, which began in November 2020, involved thousands of farmers camping at the borders of Delhi, demanding the repeal of the laws. After more than a year of demonstrations and several rounds of negotiations, Parliament finally withdrew the laws in response to the sustained pressure from the farmers' unions.
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- With inputs from agencies
