Recently actress turned BJP Member of Parliament, Kangna Ranault said (reports the Indian Express) – What happened in Bangladesh would not have taken time to happen in India if our top leadership had not been strong. In the farmers’ protest here, dead bodies were hanging and rapes were being committed. When those laws in favour of farmers were taken back, the whole country was shocked. Those farmers are still sitting there. They never thought the laws would be repealed. There was a long planning, just like in Bangladesh. Such was the conspiracy … China, America, these kinds of foreign powers are working here,” Ranaut said in an interview in Mumbai. On Sunday, the actor-turned-politician’s account on X shared a video clip of her comments.
The BJP has distanced itself from Kangna’s statement and said she was not authorised to give that. In a statement, the BJP said, “The statement given by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. The BJP expresses disagreement with the statement of Kangana Ranaut. On behalf of the party, Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on party policy issues. On behalf of the BJP, Ms Kangana Ranaut has been directed not to make any such statement in future. The BJP is determined to follow the principles of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas’ and social harmony.” (Indian Express)
On 26th August, 2024, New Delhi, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) issued the following media-statement:
*SKM Condemns the Shameful and False Comments of BJP MP Kangana Ranaut-*
*Demands PM Narendra Modi himself apologises to the farmers for the reprehensible and untruthful comments made by his party MP -*
*SKM Demands Kangana Ranaut’s unconditional apology or farmers will be forced to call for her public boycott -*
SKM has taken note of the shockingly derogatory and factually incorrect comments made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in an interview. It is extremely painful that this MP, who is a habitual abuser of farmers, has now taken the extreme step of calling Indian farmers murderers, rapists, conspirators, and anti-national. It is not surprising that this MP is making such utterances because it has been the long-standing policy of BJP to insult, denigrate and discredit the historic anti-corporate farmers’ movement led by SKM at the borders of Delhi. Despite insults and deliberate provocation, SKM has always ensured that the farmers’ protests against the anti-farmer laws and pro-corporate policies of the BJP led Union Govt remains peaceful, lawful and in accordance with exercise of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India.
The most significant achievement of the farmers’ movement was its massive character and the supreme sacrifice of 736 martyrs. Among them were the five victims of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre of four farmers and one journalist mowed down under running vehicles of Kangana Ranut’s party leader and former Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Teni and his son who are facing trial for murder charges. During the entire period of farmers’ struggle around the Capital city not a single act of violence by farmers took place, leave alone injuring anyone, even though police conducted several attacks on farmers.
Farmers’ movement is the successor of the great anti-colonial struggle of the Indian people against British Imperialism and still fights against the imperialist driven corporate forces and policies. It is better for Kangana Ranaut to try to learn the history and politics of the farmers’ movement in India before terming it as anti-national.
SKM demands that PM Narendra Modi himself apologises to the farmers of India for the reprehensible and untruthful comments made by an MP of his party. It is high time the PM stands with the ‘annadatas’ of India and does not allow his party and its members to misbehave with those who are providing food security to the nation. It is not only the PM’s constitutional duty, but people of India expect no less from him.
SKM further demands that BJP MP Kangana Ranaut immediately issue an unconditional apology to farmers of India for her inappropriate and incorrect statements and uphold the dignity of her office, failing which SKM shall have no option but to issue a call for her public boycott.
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