BJP MP and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut who stirred a political storm with her comments suggesting revival of the contentious farm laws has now expressed “regret” over her statements.
“In the last few days the media asked me some questions on farmers’ law and I suggested that the farmers should request PM Modi to bring back the farmers’ law. Many people are disappointed and disheartened by my statement. I also have to keep this in mind. I am not an artiste. I am a worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party and my opinions should be the party’s stand instead of being my own. So if I disappoint anyone with my words and my thinking, I will be sorry and I take my words back”, she said in a video message.
The farm laws, which were repealed in November 2021 following massive protests, have once again become a focal point of political tension in poll bound Haryana after Ranaut’s remarks as her comments had prompted strong reactions from opposition parties, who vowed to resist any attempt to bring back the “black laws.”
During an interaction with reporters in her Lok Sabha constituency of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, Kangana Ranaut stated that the three farm laws—repealed after an extensive agitation by farmers—should be reintroduced and the farmers themselves should demand it.
However, the BJP was quick to distance itself from Ranaut’s comments. Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia emphasized that Kangana Ranaut is not authorized to speak on behalf of the BJP and that her views do not reflect the party’s stance on the farm bills. “Kangana Ranaut is not authorized to make such a statement on behalf of the BJP, and it doesn’t depict the BJP’s view on the farm bills,” Bhatia said, attempting to quell the brewing controversy.
In response to the BJP’s distancing, Kangana Ranaut clarified that her remarks were her personal opinion and did not represent the party’s official position.
The controversy has also drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties especially in the poll bound Haryana-which remained the epicenter of 2020-21 farm laws agitation, with the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) vehemently condemning her remarks and vowing that the repealed farm laws would never return. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, demanded a clear statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the BJP MP’s proposal to revive the farm laws.
Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Rahul Gandhi directly questioned Prime Minister Modi’s stance on the issue. “Who is determining the government’s policy? A BJP MP or Prime Minister Modi? Even after the sacrifice of over 700 farmers, especially from Haryana and Punjab, the BJP is still not satisfied. I.N.D.I.A will not allow any conspiracy by the BJP against our farmers to succeed. If any step is taken to harm the farmers, then Modi ji will have to apologize once again,” he asserted.
Gandhi further criticized the BJP’s approach, alleging that the party frequently tests ideas through its members before gauging public reactions. “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 farm laws, which were black laws. Modi Ji, please clarify whether you are against this or if you are up to mischief again”, he said in a video statement.
