While ‘Madness or treason’: Varun Gandhi slams Kangana Ranaut over ‘India got freedom in 2014’ remark which triggers outrage in India.
Actor, Kangana Ranaut said India attained freedom in 2014 and 1947 was ‘bheek’, triggers stirring massive outrage in India. This occurred after being awarded the Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India and she said this at a conclave where she was a guest speaker.
Kangana controversially said that after the Modi-led government came to power, India got independence and described the country’s Independence in 1947 as “bheek”, or alms, thus openly jeering the 1947 freedom struggle of India.
Kangana also hit out at the Congress in her remarks at the show.
“If we get freedom as a ‘bheek’, is it even freedom? What the British left behind in the name of Congress… They were the extension of the British…,” she said.
Complaints are filed against Kangana Ranaut for ‘India got real freedom in 2014’ comment
and she said during the session itself, ‘Now 10 cases will be filed against me.”
Slamming her, Varun Gandhi of the BJP said, “Insulting the sacrifice of Mahatma Gandhi sometimes, respecting his killer sometimes, and now the disdain for the sacrifices of Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and lakhs of freedom fighters. Should I call this thinking madness or treason?”
“It is an anti-national act and must be called out as such. To not do so would be a betrayal of all those who shed blood so that today we may stand tall and free as a nation,” Gandhi said.
He said that “people can never forget the infinite sacrifices of our freedom movement and the millions of lives lost and families destroyed,” and that to belittle it in this “shameful manner” cannot be condoned simply as a careless or callous statement.
“It is an anti-national act and must be called out as such. To not do so would be a betrayal of all those who shed blood so that today we may stand tall and free as a nation,” he stated.
MP Varun Gandhi shared a video of Ranaut’s remarks on his Twitter handle to make his point. In a 24-second clip circulated on Twitter widely, Ranaut says India’s Independence in 1947 was not freedom but “bheek” (alms). “…Of course, azaadi nahi thi vo bheekh thi. Aur jo azaadi mili hai vo 2014 me mili hai (Of course, what we got [in 1947] was not Independence but alms. Independence is what we got in 1947),” she says in the clip from the event organized by Times Now.
Shockingly, after Kangana’s comment, some people in the audience can be heard clapping.
Several other Congress leaders also spoke out.
Gaurav Pandhi, the Congress’ digital communications, and social media coordinator said the RSS could never accept the fact that their British masters were forced to leave in 1947.
“…Their slavery knew no bounds. No wonder they didn’t hoist the tricolor for half a century. The return of slavery in 2014 was their ‘independence’. Kangana Ranaut is just one of them.”
Reacting to Ranaut’s remarks, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said her statement has shown what happens when people who are not deserving of Padma awards are given these honors.
Gourav Vallabh said, “I demand that Kangana Ranaut should make a public apology to all Indians because of her statement, our freedom movement and our freedom fighters’ sacrifice were insulted,”
“The government of India should take back the prestigious Padma award from such a lady who is insulting Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. If the government is giving her Padma award, it means the government is promoting these kinds of people,” Vallabh said.
What Kangana Ranaut has said is “direct treason”, he added.
Salman Soz pointed out in his Twitter post that some people clapped when Ranaut said India’s real independence was in 2014 because 1947 was a charity case. He also recalled the millions who “resisted the British, those who were killed or jailed, those who loved India”.
National executive chairman of the Aam Aadmi Party Preethi Menon has filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police seeking an FIR against Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut.
Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi compared Ranaut’s remarks to another BJP member who recently claimed that India has been given freedom as a lease for 99 years.
Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “New Ruchi Pathak on the block. From 99 years lease to bheek main mili azaadi. All the blood, sweat and balidan (sacrifice) of our freedom fighters including Jhansi ki Rani dismissed to please the master. The WhatsApp history fans.”
Ranaut may not be on Twitter but her name was trending with many, including historian S Irfan Habib, weighing in with their views.
“Shamelessness is abysmal,” Habib wrote.
Actor Swara Bhasker, who also shared the video clip on her Twitter page, wondered about those who were heard clapping at Ranaut’s comments.
“Who are the idiots who are clapping is what I want to know,” wrote Bhasker, who has worked with Ranaut in the “Tanu Weds Manu” film series and has been a critic of the actor.
Other celebrities too, were infuriated and filmmaker Onir said, “Will we now start celebrating a new Independence Day?”
Without naming the actor badminton player Jwala Gutta wrote, “What do you call a person who only spews venom when she/he opens their mouth!!! Just curious!!”
Lawyer Aman Wadud said, “Ground being prepared to attack the Constitution. Well-thought-out statement, don’t make the mistake to read this in isolation.”
Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra, an outspoken critic of the government wrote on Twitter, “Kangana is right India did get independence from common sense & rational thinking in 2014.”
Kangana Ranaut, who was recently presented with Padma Shri Award, was apparently referring to the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah-powered BJP coming to power in 2014.
She had sparked controversy in the past with her right-wing comments and regular jibes at opposition politicians.
Kangana Ranaut was bestowed with the Padma Shri two weeks after she picked up her fourth best actress National Film Award, and expressed her appreciation for receiving the honor “for being a model citizen” of India.
“As an artist, I have received many awards, love and acknowledgement but today I have received an award for being a model citizen of this country. I’m grateful,” she said in a video posted on her official Instagram page.
“When I started working at a young age, I didn’t achieve success until 8-10 years into my career. I didn’t enjoy my success. I turned down offers to endorse fairness products, boycotted item numbers, rejected working in big hero films and with big production houses,” Ranaut added.
The actor-producer, well known for her stinging statements, said receiving “This honour will shut the mouths of many people” who often ask her why she concerns herself with matters of national importance.
Kangana, whose Twitter account has been suspended, defended herself on Instagram.
“Even though I clearly mentioned 1857 revolution first freedom fight which was curbed… which lead to more atrocities and cruelties from the British and almost a century later freedom was given to us in Gandhi’s begging bowl… Ja aur roo ab,” she said in her Insta stories.
The actor has often been in news for her inflammatory controversial statements, some of them so provocative and with her level of influence, this is dangerous.
She was given Y-plus category security by the central government after she said she felt unsafe in Mumbai following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and also spoke of drug use in a section of the film industry, however, admitted once that she used to be a drug addict herself.
The actor’s account on Twitter was permanently suspended with the company saying it was done “for repeated violation of Twitter rules”.
Despite all outrage, nothing stops her because she probably feels protected by the Central Government and she knows she will get away with it.