Kangana Ranaut Controversy on Farmers Protest Statement Opinion by Nimrat Kaur
Opinion By Nimrat Kaur, the Managing Editor of Rozana Spokesman: The Bharatiya Janata Party's recent dissociation from actress Kangana Ranaut's controversial remarks about the farmers' protest and its call for her to exercise restraint in the future is a welcome step. However, many believe that this action should have been taken two and a half years ago. Had the party shown sincerity earlier, the current situation might have been avoided. Kangana has been making irresponsible statements, first as a Modi supporter and now as a Member of Parliament. Since October 2021, she has continued to make inflammatory remarks about farmer protesters and minority groups.
Previously, the BJP leadership made no effort to restrain her from making such unnecessary accusations, which likely emboldened her further. In an interview with a Hindi newspaper, she remarked, "If we did not have strong leadership in India, many incidents like those in Bangladesh could have occurred here in 2021. There were also anarchist efforts here. During the farmer movement, bodies were found hanging, and rape took place." Such comments have only served to exacerbate the situation, leading to the current backlash, which has now reached the senior leadership of the BJP.
Unsurprisingly, Kangana's comments were met with widespread criticism. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned her remarks as reflective of the BJP's 'anti-farmer policy and intent,' calling her statement "an insult to the farmers of the country." Similar sentiments were echoed by other political parties and social organizations. The United Kisan Morcha demanded an 'unconditional apology' from Kangana, threatening her with a public boycott if she did not comply.
The Punjab unit of the BJP found itself in a difficult position. Welcoming the central leadership's rebuke of Kangana, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar emphasized the need for sincere efforts to regain the trust of farmers. While it is commendable that the party has taken this step, many feel it should have been done much earlier.
It is also ironic that Kangana made these objectionable comments while already embroiled in controversy over the portrayal of the Sikh community in her film 'Emergency.' Whether the dispute over the film is valid or not is debatable, but in an already tense atmosphere, her remarks could only aggravate the situation further. Kangana claims to value honesty, which is a commendable trait, but honesty should not be confused with irresponsibility. The Supreme Court underscored this reality in a judgment last year.
In the 2023 ruling that reaffirmed the boundaries of free speech, Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, leading a three-member bench, stated, "Expression of opinion should not go beyond the scope of culture, behavior, and responsibility."
The general perception is that the BJP's decision to rein in Kangana may have been influenced by the upcoming Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections. This belief is reinforced by the party's history of allowing young leaders like Tejasvi Surya and Kangana to engage in provocative rhetoric. However, with Haryana being the epicenter of past farmer struggles, the BJP can no longer afford to risk further alienating the farmers. Despite recent efforts by Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini, the discontent among farmers persists. Therefore, it is now imperative for the BJP's senior leadership to move beyond the rhetoric of the past decade and teach party leaders the value of measured speech.
(The views are those of the author)
