The Himachal Pradesh assembly has passed a resolution, supported by the Congress, condemning remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, regarding the farmers’ protests.
Kangana Ranaut had shared a clip of her interview with the Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, in which she suggested that a “Bangladesh-like situation” could have arisen in India if not for the country’s strong leadership. She also alleged that bodies were hanging and rapes occurred during the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. Furthermore, she accused China and the US of being involved in the “conspiracy.”
Her remarks sparked heated debates in the assembly of her Congress-ruled home state, leading the House to adopt a resolution condemning her statements.
Thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and other regions had staged a prolonged protest at Delhi’s borders over the now-repealed farm laws.
As Haryana prepares for elections on October 1, the opposition criticized the BJP MP over the issue. AAP’s Haryana president, Sushil Gupta, claimed that this incident highlighted the BJP’s “mindset” towards farmers, with AAP organizing several protests in Haryana as well.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticized Kangana Ranaut, demanding an apology. She posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Kangana Ranaut has not apologized for her statement against farmers. BJP’s statement expresses no regret about the charges made by her against farmers. She is a BJP member & MP; if no action is taken against her, it’s fair to say that BJP is only paying lip service to the farmers.”
In the Himachal Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan described Kangana Ranaut’s remarks as an insult to the entire farming community of India. After BJP members returned to the House following a walkout, he challenged them to clarify their position on the issue. Members from both sides of the House began raising slogans, while Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur stated that Kangana’s remarks were personal and did not represent the party’s views.
The BJP had already distanced itself from the actor-turned-politician’s remarks, expressing disagreement with her views and clarifying that she was neither permitted nor authorized to speak on the party’s policy matters.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu endorsed the resolution and suggested that the BJP should address the issue within the House. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri added that farmers were angered by Kangana Ranaut’s remarks and urged the BJP to seriously reconsider its stance. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi even proposed filing an FIR against the Mandi MP, as her comments could potentially disrupt law and order.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav labeled Kangana Ranaut’s remarks as “deliberate,” suggesting they might be used as a “shield” by the BJP to deflect blame in the event of a future defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections.
