BJP condemns Kangana Ranaut's 3 farm laws statement amid Congress wrath; Mandi MP reacts

Kangana Ranaut, Bharatiya Janata Party's Mandi MP, has once again sparked a controversy after she suggested that the three farm laws that were repealed following prolonged farmer protests should be brought back. As the actor-turned-politician's remarks drew the Opposition ire, the BJP on Tuesday night distanced itself from her the comments stating that Kangana Ranaut is “not authorised” to make such statements on the party's behalf.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia in a video message said the remarks are “personal statement” of Kangana Ranaut and doesn't depict the the party's view on farm bills.

“On the social media platforms, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's statement on the farm bills that was withdrawn by central government is going viral. I want to make it clear that this statement is a personal statement of her. Kangana Ranaut is not authorised to make such a statement on behalf of BJP and it doesn't depict BJP's view on the farm bills. We disapprove of this statement,” Gaurav Bhatia said.

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Responding the BJP spokesperson's statement, Kangana Ranaut acknowledged that it was her personal view.

“Absolutely, my views on Farmers Laws are personal and they don’t represent party’s stand on those Bills. Thanks,” Kangana Ranaut wrote on social media platform X.

Earlier, the actor-turned-politician had told the media, “I know this statement could be controversial, but the three farm laws should be brought back. Farmers themselves should demand it.”

The statement did go down well with the Opposition as Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja criticised the actor, calling her “habitually controversial”.

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“I think she is mentally unstable. Some people are accustomed to creating controversy, and the BJP benefits from her statements. She talks about farmers, Punjab, the Emergency, and Rahul Gandhi. There are other MPs who never make such remarks,” the Congress leader said.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also shared the video of Ranaut on X and said, "'All three farm laws should be brought back': BJP MP Kangana Ranaut. More than 750 farmers were martyred while protesting against the three black farmer laws. Efforts are being made to bring them back."

"We will never let that happen. Haryana will answer first," she said in an apparent reference to the assembly polls in Haryana.

Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also shared the video on X and said it was the BJP's "real thinking".

"How many times will you deceive the farmers, you two-faced people?" Pawan Khera said in a post in Hindi.

Kangana Ranaut's recent controversies

Notably, this is not the first time, the BJP has distanced itself from Kangana Ranaut's remarks and stated that she is “not authorised” to make such statements on the party's behalf.

Last month, the BJP distanced itself from the Mandi MP's statement about the farmers' agitation and also asked her to refrain from giving such statements in the future.

"The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers' movement is not the opinion of the party. Bharatiya Janata Party expresses disagreement with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut. On behalf of the party, Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorized to make statements on party policy issues," the BJP said in a release.

"On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Kangana Ranaut has been directed not to make any such statements in future. Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to following the principles of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas' and social harmony," it added.

The actor had then claimed that farmer protests were a build up to a “Bangladesh-like situation” in India and several killings and rapes were reported from the protest sites.

About the three farm laws

The three laws -- Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act – were repealed in November 2021.

The farmers' protest started at the fag-end of November 2020 and ended after Parliament repealed the three laws. The legislations came into force in June 2020 and were repealed in November 2021.

(With inputs from agencies)