Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut sparked fresh controversy on Wednesday with a social media post involving Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Known for her outspoken views, the actor paid tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 120th birth anniversary with a message that appeared to downplay Mahatma Gandhi’s status as the Father of the Nation.
In her Instagram Stories, Kangana wrote, “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).
She followed up with another post crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continuing Mahatma Gandhi’s work on cleanliness in the country. However, her post triggered strong reactions, especially from Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, who accused Ranaut of making a “lewd jibe” at Gandhi.
Shrinate posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “BJP MP Kangana made this lewd jibe on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. Godse worshippers try to create divisions between Bapu and Shastri ji. Will Narendra Modi forgive his party’s new Godse devotee? The Father of the Nation, sons, and martyrs all deserve respect.”
BJP MP कंगना ने महात्मा गांधी की जयंती के दिन यह भद्दा तंज कसा
बापू और शास्त्री जी के बीच में भेदभाव गोडसे उपासक करते हैं
क्या नरेंद्र मोदी अपनी पार्टी की नई गोडसे भक्त को दिल से माफ़ करेंगे?
देश के राष्ट्रपिता होते हैं, लाल होते हैं और शहीदे आज़म होते हैं. सबका सम्मान है pic.twitter.com/7m1E42nFJU
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) October 2, 2024
In the past, Supriya Shrinate herself faced controversy over an objectionable post related to the actor before the Lok Sabha elections in March.
Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia also condemned Ranaut’s remarks, saying in a video shared on social media, “I condemn Kangana Ranaut’s comments made on Gandhi ji’s 155th birth anniversary. She has developed a habit of making controversial statements in her short political career.” He added, “Politics is a serious matter. Her remarks often create trouble for the party.”
This is not the first time the BJP MP from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, has stirred controversy. Just last month, Kangana faced criticism for advocating the reinstatement of the three farm laws repealed in 2021. She had claimed the farmers’ protests were creating a “Bangladesh-type situation” in India, alleging “dead bodies were hanging, and rapes were happening” at the protest sites. Later, she retracted her statement, acknowledging that as a BJP member, she must be mindful of her public statements.
