NEW DELHI, June 6: In a shocking incident, the newly- elected BJP Member of Parliament from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut was slapped by an on-duty female Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable at the Mohali Airport in Chandigarh on Thursday afternoon.
According to sources, the female CISF staff identified as Kulwinder Kaur was unhappy with Kangana’s comment on a statement about Punjab ladies during the farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws, suggesting that Punjab ladies participated in the farmers’ agitation for money.
An inquiry has already been initiated against the female constable and she was suspended after an FIR filed against her. While giving details about the incident, a top police official said, “Today, Kangana Ranaut, MP from Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), and Bollywood actress, reached Mohali International Airport to visit Delhi by flight. When she reached the SHA area for frisking, a female constable of CISF, Kulwinder Kaur, conducted her frisking, and after frisking, the female constable slapped Kangna Ranaut.”
“Kulwinder Kaur said Kangana Ranaut made a derogatory statement about Punjab ladies during the farmers’ agitation against three farm laws, implying that Punjab ladies participated in the farmers’ agitation for money. The new MP from Mandi may file a complaint with the Union Home Ministry, as she conveyed this to CISF senior officials at the airport,” the official added.
Ms Ranaut after the incident in a video posted on X said, “…the incident occurred at the Chandigarh airport during the security check. As I went through the security check, the lady CISF officer from adjacent cabin approached me and hit me on the face and abused me. I asked her why did she do it, to which she replied that she supported the farmers’ protest. While I am safe, but my concern is that how shall we handle growing terrorism in Punjab.”
Notably, several farmer outfits have been anguished and alleged that Ms Ranaut had made derogatory remarks against farmers during the year-long (2020-21) farmer’s protest, which was held against the now repealed farm laws.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has hit out at Kangana Ranaut for her “hateful” comments against the people of Punjab and its President Harjinder Singh Dhami called it an expression of her “anti-Punjab mentality. “The SGPC has demanded a fair and unbiased investigation into the incident and probe whether Kangana Ranaut made provocative remarks at the airport.
The CISF constable said she was upset with Ms Ranaut over the actor-turned-MP’s “Rs 100” statement during the farmers’ protest. “She had given a statement that the farmers are sitting there for ₹ 100. Will she go and sit there? My mother was sitting there and protesting when she gave this statement,” the constable said.
Ms Ranaut in December 2020 had posted the “Rs 100 comment” on X, after seeing an elderly woman who she said was “available for ₹ 100”, suggesting she can be hired to attend protests. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s chief Manjinder Singh Sirsa had said Ms Ranaut should give an “unconditional apology” within a week. During the election campaign, farmers had blocked her convoy in Chandigarh while Ms Ranaut was going towards Mandi.
In February 2021, international pop star Rihanna had posted on X (then Twitter) a swipe at the Centre over the farmers’ protest, saying, “Why aren’t we talking about this?” To this, Ms Ranaut had responded, “No one is talking about it because they are not farmers, they are terrorists who are trying to divide India, so that China can take over our vulnerable broken nation and make it a Chinese colony much like the USA… Sit down you fool, we are not selling our nation like you dummies.”
Ms Kangana had later deleted the post.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021 – nearly 15 months since the protests started – had announced the three farm laws at the heart of the fierce protests by farmers would be withdrawn.
(Manas Dasgupta)
