BJP MP Kangana Ranaut
Credit: PTI Photo
Shimla: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday withdrew her remarks calling for bringing back the three farm laws that were repealed in 2021, and said those were her personal opinion and not the party's.
Her comments, which had the potential of adversely affecting the party’s chances in poll-bound Haryana, led the BJP to announce that it was her personal views, marking the second time the BJP had to issue a statement distancing itself from her utterances.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged a conspiracy to bring back the repealed bills.
In a video, Kangana said that her response to a media inquiry led to anger among a wide section of people. “When the farm laws were proposed, a lot of us supported the bills, but due to the opposition from farmers, the prime minister empathetically withdrew the bills with sensitivity. And it is the duty of all of us BJP workers that we honour his words,” the actor-politician said.
“I will also have to keep in mind that I am no longer an artiste alone, but a worker of the BJP, too. And my opinions should not be mine alone, but should reflect the stand of the party,” she added.
“If I have disappointed anyone with my words and my thinking, I apologise. I take my words back,” she said.
The Mandi MP landed in trouble when a video of her surfaced where she was heard saying that the three repealed farm laws should be brought back. “I know this will be controversial, but I feel the farm laws should be brought back; the farmers should themselves demand it. They are a pillar of strength for the nation’s development and I want to appeal to them – demand the laws back for your own good,” she had said.
The comment drew a fair amount of attention and anger from the farming community, especially in Haryana where the BJP is struggling to retain power for a third term. The BJP swung into action and senior spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said that the comments do not reflect the views of the party.
“I want to make it clear that this statement is her personal statement. Kangana Ranaut is not authorised to make such a statement on behalf of BJP and it does not depict the BJP’s view on the farm bills. We disapprove of this statement,” Bhatia said in a video statement.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a video posted on X, asked who was shaping the government’s policy. “Is it a BJP MP or is it the prime minister? The BJP keeps testing ideas. They tell someone to present an idea to the public and then observe the reaction. This is exactly what happened when one of their MPs talked about reviving the farmer laws, which were black laws. Modi ji, please clarify whether you are against this or if you are up to mischief again,” he said.