'Madness or treason?': Varun Gandhi slams Kangana Ranaut freedom remark; Cong wants Padma award be taken back
BJP MP Varun Gandhi slammed film actor Kangana Ranaut on Thursday for her reported remarks that India attained freedom in 2014 and what it got in 1947 was "alms", and said it is an anti-national act and must be called out as such.
People can never forget the infinite sacrifices of our freedom movement and the millions of lives lost and families destroyed, he said, asserting that to belittle it in this "shameful manner" cannot be condoned simply as a careless or callous statement.
"It is an anti-national act and must be called out as such. To not do so would be a betrayal of all those who shed blood so that today we may stand tall and free as a nation," the Lok Sabha MP said.
He also posted a short clip of Ranaut's remarks during a new channel programme in which she is heard saying in Hindi, "That was not freedom but 'bheekh' (alms), and the freedom came in 2014."
Ranaut, who was recently given Padma Shri, was apparently referring to the BJP coming to power in 2014. She has sparked controversy in the past with her right wing comments and jibes at opposition politicians.
Slamming her, Gandhi tweeted, "Insulting the sacrifice of Mahatma Gandhi sometime, respecting his killer sometime, and now the disdain for the sacrifices of Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and lakhs of freedom fighters. Should I call this thinking madness or treason?"
Cong slams Kangana's 'bheek' remark
Hitting out at actor Kangana Ranaut for describing India's Independence in 1947 as 'bheek' or alms, the Congress said her remarks amounted to "treason" and demanded that the government take back the Padma Shri bestowed on her recently for "insulting" the country's independence movement.
Reacting to Ranaut's remarks, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said her statement has shown what happens when people who are not deserving of Padma awards are given these honours.
"I demand that Kangana Ranaut should make a public apology to all Indians because of her statement, our freedom movement and our freedom fighters' sacrifice were insulted. The government of India should take back the prestigious Padma award from such a lady who is insulting Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. If the government is giving her Padma award, it means the government is promoting these kinds of people," Vallabh said.
