BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, victor of the Lok Sabha elections in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, was en route to Delhi when the altercation took place at the airport.
Kangana Ranaut, the newly elected MP and prominent actor, found herself at the center of controversy when a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable allegedly slapped her at Chandigarh airport. The incident, purportedly linked to issues concerning farmers’ rights, occurred as Ranaut was preparing to board a flight to Delhi. Ranaut, who secured victory in the Lok Sabha election from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, faced the altercation involving CISF constable Kulwinder Kaur, who has since been suspended. An FIR has been lodged against her.
Reportedly, following the incident, Kaur cited Ranaut’s supposed disrespect towards farmers, amidst the backdrop of the prolonged farmer protests against the now-repealed farm laws and demands for a legal guarantee of minimum support price during 2020-21.
Mobile footage captured Ranaut being escorted by a security entourage toward the security check-in, engaging in discussions with CISF officers.
The CISF Commandant has initiated an inquiry into the incident, according to sources. Additionally, one of Ms. Ranaut’s aides has reported the matter to local authorities, as per sources.
Upon her arrival in Delhi, Ms. Ranaut refrained from speaking to reporters. Earlier today, she shared a photo on Instagram with the caption, ‘On my way to parliament. Mandi ki sansad.’
Later in the evening, in a video statement aired on X, Ms. Ranaut assured her safety but expressed apprehension about the escalating terrorism situation in Punjab.
“I am unharmed and in good spirits. The incident occurred during security check-in. The female guard deliberately approached and assaulted me, uttering profanities. When questioned, she claimed to support farmers’ cause. While I am physically unharmed, my concern grows for the rising terrorism threat in Punjab. How should we address this?” Ms. Ranaut stated.
The CISF constable expressed her displeasure towards Ms. Ranaut regarding the actor-turned-MP’s remark about the farmers’ protest being worth ‘Rs 100.’ “She made a statement insinuating that farmers were protesting for mere ₹100. Would she herself join the protest for such a sum? My mother was among the protesters when she made this remark,” stated the constable.
In December 2020, Ms. Ranaut posted the controversial “Rs 100” comment on X, after observing an elderly woman whom she claimed was “available for ₹100,” implying she could be hired to participate in protests.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the chief of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, demanded an “unconditional apology” from Ms. Ranaut within a week following the incident. The actor subsequently deleted the post.
During the election campaign, farmers obstructed Ms. Ranaut’s convoy in Chandigarh as she was en route to Mandi.
In February 2021, international pop sensation Rihanna stirred controversy with a post on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the government’s stance on the farmers’ protest: ‘Why aren’t we discussing this?’
In response, Ms. Ranaut remarked, ‘The silence is deliberate because these aren’t farmers, but terrorists aiming to disrupt India. They seek to pave the way for China’s dominance over our nation, emulating the USA… Sit back, you fool, we won’t sell our nation like you clueless individuals.’ Later, Ms. Kangana deleted the post.
In a significant development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws in November 2021, nearly 15 months after the protests commenced.
Among the myriad controversies surrounding the laws, farmers feared the abolition of MSP and the looming threat of agricultural corporatization, wherein powerful corporations could leverage their financial muscle to dictate unfairly low prices to farmers.
They were additionally concerned that small and marginal landowners would be susceptible to unfavorable contracts unless pricing regulations were enforced.
