Independence movement controversy: Relentless Kangana shoots again, targets Mahatma Gandhi

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, November 16

Controversy’s own child Kangana Ranaut remains dogged in her determination to justify her recent remarks on the Indian independence movement that have seen her come under intense criticism from several leaders.

Actress Ranaut, who makes no bones about her political leanings and has a long history of courting controversies, continued to justify her statement "disparaging" the Indian independence movement.

On Tuesday, Ranaut uploaded new posts criticising Mahatma Gandhi, including an old newspaper clipping with the headline ‘Gandhi, others had agreed to hand over Netaji’ (Subhash Chandra Bose). It’s unclear what newspaper the clipping is from but the piece of news shared is from the news agency Press Trust of India. Further reading of the story shows that the piece of news was dated after Subhash Chandra Bose disappeared.

The caption of the newspaper clipping said: “Either you are a Gandhi fan, or a Netaji supporter…You can’t be both. Choose and decide”.

Bose is widely believed to have been killed in a plane crash on August 18, 1945.

In another post, Ranaut says: “Those are the ones who taught us if someone slaps you offer another cheek for one more slap and that is how you will get aazaadi. That's not how one gets aazadi, one can only get bheekh like that. Choose your heroes wisely”.

Kangana Ranaut had made her controversial remarks at an event organised by a leading television network. In her interview, she’d called India’s independence in 1947 “bheek” (alms) and then went on to say that India attained her true independence in 2014—the year the incumbent prime minister, Narendra Modi, was voted into power with a staggering majority for the very first time.

Ranaut’s remarks have since been called unsavoury and insulting to the independence movement, with critics going so far as to accuse her of trying to get into the good books of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Ranaut has been determinedly defending the statement ever since: three days ago, she offered to give back her Padma Shri award that she recently received if she was proved wrong.

Her remarks drew criticism not only from the Congress—a party that has its roots in the Indian independence movement—and several opposition parties, but also from leaders like Varun Gandhi, a BJP MP from Pilibhit whose a great-grandfather, India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was part of the freedom movement.