Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut found herself embroiled in another controversy on Wednesday following a social media post about Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. While paying tribute to Shastri on his 120th birth anniversary, Ranaut's post seemed to question Gandhi’s prominence as the "Father of the Nation", reigniting debate. The actor, who previously faced criticism for her comments on the farmers' protests, is once again in the spotlight for her "controversial remarks".
"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 on her Instagram Stories.
Kangana Ranaut's Instagram story
Kangana's remarks sparks row
In a follow-up to her post, Kangana praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for advancing Gandhi’s legacy on cleanliness in India. The remarks, however, have sparked another political row for the BJP MP from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Manoranjan Kalia, a senior BJP leader from Punjab, also criticised Ranaut for her latest remarks. "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.
Kangana draws flak over farmers' protest remarks
Just last month, Kangana Ranaut faced outrage for advocating the reinstatement of the three farm laws that were repealed in 2021. The actor-turned-politician, elected as a BJP MP in June, had controversially claimed that the farmers' protest against the laws was creating a "Bangladesh-type situation in India," alleging incidents of violence and rape at the protest sites. After backlash, Kangana retracted her statement, admitting that she must be mindful of her role not only as an artist but also as a BJP member.
(With PTI inputs)
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