Kangana Ranaut slap row: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that the CISF woman constable who allegedly slapped actor Kangana Ranaut may have been angry by the BJP MP's earlier remarks on the farmers' protest.
This was Punjab Chief Minister Mann's first response to the incident where CISF woman constable Kulwinder Kaur allegedly slapped Kangana Ranaut at the Chandigarh airport on June 6. Kaur was apparently upset with Kangana's stance on the farmers' protests.
'That was anger'
Replying to a question on the slapping incident, Mann said, "Look, that was anger. She (Kangana) had earlier spoken like this. Somewhere, there was anger in the heart of that woman (CISF constable). It (incident) should not have happened like this."
Mann criticised Kangana for her remarks on "terrorism" but acknowledged that the incident should not have occurred.
In a clear reference to Kangana Ranaut, Mann said that regardless of whether someone is a film actor or an MP, it is wrong to label the entire Punjab as a terrorist state and claim there is terrorism in the state.
He recalled the contribution of Punjab in the country's freedom struggle and also said it feeds the nation. "On every issue, you say that they are terrorists and separatists. If farmers hold protests, they are called terrorists. It is wrong," said Mann.
What is the case?
Kangana posted a video message in which she said she was hit in the face and abused by the constable during a security check at the Chandigarh airport. She posted the video after she landed in Delhi.
Speaking about the ordeal, Kangana further said, "She hit me in the face and started abusing me. I asked her why she did it and she said she supports the farmer protests."
"I am safe but my concern is that terrorism and extremism are increasing in Punjab...How do we handle that?" Ranaut had said.
Moreover, another video that went viral purportedly showed the agitated constable talking to people presumably after the incident. "Kangana made a statement (earlier) that farmers were protesting in Delhi because they were paid Rs 100 or Rs 200. At the time, my mother was one of the protesters," she said in the purported video.
(With PTI inputs)
