Kangana Ranaut meets BJP chief Nadda after backlash over remarks on farmer’s protest

NEW DELHI — Days after her controversial comments on the farmers’ protest, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut met the party’s national president J.P. Nadda at his residence on Thursday.

Ranaut’s comments have stirred a significant backlash and came at a time when Assembly elections are around the corner in Haryana.

Farmers from Haryana and Punjab held massive protests against the farm laws in 2020 and camped at the borders of Delhi for more than a year. The laws were later withdrawn by the Centre.

The BJP on August 26 distanced itself from its Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut’s remarks on the farmers’ agitation and asked her to refrain from making such statements in the future.

Actor-politician Ranaut stoked a controversy by suggesting that the farmers’ protest could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation in the country had the top leadership not acted strongly.

In a video shared on X, the Mandi MP also alleged that during the farmers’ stir against the three farm laws, “bodies were seen hanging and rapes were taking place”.

BJP issued a statement on Ranaut’s controversial remarks, saying, “The views expressed by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on the farmers’ movement do not reflect the stance of the Bharatiya Janata Party.”

“Ms Kangana Ranaut is not authorised to speak on policy matters on behalf of the party and has not been given permission to do so. The BJP has directed Ms Ranaut to refrain from making such statements in the future,” the statement added.

Her remarks elicited sharp responses from various political parties. The Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and President Mallikarjun Kharge, condemned Ranaut’s statements as a “grave insult” to farmers. Gandhi labelled the comments as “shameful anti-farmer propaganda”.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged protests in Haryana, accusing the BJP of having an “anti-farmer mindset”.

On Wednesday, Kangana admitted that she was reprimanded by the BJP, over her remarks on the farmer’s protest, and said, “She is looking forward to being more careful with her words and aligning to the party’s policies.”

The single-phase voting for 90 seats of the Haryana Assembly elections will be held on October 1. The results will be declared on October 4.