It is also noteworthy that recently, the BJP leadership has scolded the actor and new party member Kangana Ranaut for her comments regarding the farmer’s protests. The BJP has clarified to the media that whatever Ranaut has said does not represent the official view of the BJP, and she has been warned not to repeat such a statement again.
The MP of Himachal Pradesh Mandi, Ranaut, had claimed that the situation in India could have reached Bangladesh-like conditions due to the farmers’ protest if the state had not taken strict actions. This statement raised eyebrows from many people, especially the Congress party.
This disapproval from the BJP was quick. The party said that Ranaut is not allowed to make any policy statements on their behalf and lacks permission to do so. The party also prevailed upon Ranaut, who leads the party in Haryana and Punjab, to desist from commenting on sensitive issues.
The Congress, however, has allowed itself to bluntly criticize the BJP and its leaders; Randeep Surjewala of the Congress sought to tag the BJP leader to wish her a “Get Well Soon” and wondered if it were her own thoughts that she was expressing.
Kangana Ranaut, who is quite popular for her controversies, made statements against farmers protesting the farm bills that have been recently rolled back. She has also, in the past, faced the brunt of the controversy for making distasteful comments about a woman farmer, where she went on to allegedly misidentify the farmer as a lady from Punjab.
Hence, the BJP’s prompt move to disassociate from Ranaut’s comments can be seen as part of the party’s efforts to tread a fine line politically while it tries to respond to the farmers’ protest and the general discussions.
