Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 23: Angrily reacting to the BJP Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut’s unsavoury remarks against the veteran party leader Sonia Gandhi, the Congress has demanded the actor- politician to withdraw her allegations or face legal action.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Monday slammed Ms Ranaut for her “foolish statement” against Ms Gandhi challenging her to prove her allegations against the veteran politician or face legal action over her remarks.
Ms Ranuat has alleged that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has illegally diverted the funds released by the Centre for disaster relief or loans taken for the state’s developmental works to Ms Sonia Gandhi and had made the state’s financial situation “hollow.”
The hill state’s Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh warned Ms Ranaut to either withdraw the accusation or face legal action. “If Kangana does not retract her statement… we will sue for defamation. On what basis did she make such a statement? It is extremely unfortunate (that) she made a statement against a leader of Sonia Gandhi’s stature,” Mr Singh said Monday afternoon.
“There cannot be a (more) foolish statement than saying ‘funds coming from the Centre, or the state’s funds for development, are being given to Sonia Gandhi,” he said, “I openly challenge Kangana to show proof of even Re 1 being diverted… or apologise to Sonia Gandhi for such baseless allegations…”
Mr Singh also slammed Ms Ranaut’s “intellectual bankruptcy”, pointing out the actor-politician had, only last month, been reprimanded by her party over comments about the farmers’ protest. “The BJP has already cautioned her… to not issue a statement on sensitive issues. However, it seem she has not paid heed to the advice of her party’s high command,” he said.
On the specific charge – that the Congress’ Himachal Pradesh government “takes loans and gives it to Sonia Gandhi, which has made the state’s finances hollow” – Mr Singh pointed out money from the central government, and the uses to which it is put, are properly audited. “It is a defamatory statement and we condemn it. She should produce evidence in a week… if she doesn’t, and doesn’t apologise, we will file a criminal defamation case…” Mr Singh said.
On Sunday, launching a membership drive in her constituency, Ms Ranaut hit out at the Congress and attacked Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. “Disasters and Congress have taken the state back decades… I appeal to the people to root out this government,” she said, “If we (the central government) gives disaster funds, it should go to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund… but everyone knows that it goes to the ‘Sonia Relief Fund’.”
The actor-politician also took a dig at Vikramaditya Singh – her rival for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in the April-June general election. “The people are tired of potholes on roads… I would do more than possible for my area, but the PWD Minister should also do something as well,” she said.
Himachal Pradesh is battling a financial crisis inflamed by devastating landslides, flash floods, and heavy rain in August, last year and this. To combat this problem the Chief Minister last month said his cabinet colleagues and he would defer accepting salaries for two months.
“After discussing in the Cabinet, all members decided that till the state sees improvement… we will not take salary, TA or DA (Transport or Dearness Allowance) for two months. This is just a small amount… but it is symbolic. Apart from this, I also requested all the MLAs…” the Chief Minister told reporters.
The centre has offered financial assistance; in August last year it approved the release of ₹ 200 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund, as advance aid. This was after the release of ₹ 360.8 crore from its share of state funds. And, earlier, this year, the centre announced ₹ 11,500 crore support; this will, though, be distributed among flood-affected states.
Mr Singh said the “BJP MP does not visit Himachal Pradesh often but, with her film being “blocked” by the censor board, maybe she is saddened and making baseless statements from her home in Manali,” he said.
The reference was to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refusing to allow release of Ms Ranuat starrer “Emergency” film in which she has played the lead role of the former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Ms Ranaut, a fierce critic of the opposition and avid supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is also believed to be financially stuck by the delay in releasing the film of which she was also the writer, director and co-producer. It was believed that the CBFC was delaying the film’s release till at least the completion of the Haryana state Assembly elections next month in view of the objections raised by prominent organisations of the Sikhs for allegedly depicting the community in bad light.
Meanwhile, the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised to be the voice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament reiterating the Congress party’s commitment to put pressure on the BJP-ruled Centre to restore J&K’s statehood.
“Whenever you need me, you just have to give me an order and I will be present before you. I will raise your issues in Parliament. You know the special relationship I have with you. I do not have to even mention it,” Mr Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, told an election rally in the Zainakote area on the city’s outskirts.
“I will be your voice in parliament,” he told the gathering. Mr Gandhi said the biggest issue for the people of J&K is the restoration of the statehood. “We guarantee that it will be restored. If the BJP does not give it you (after elections), we will ensure that it is restored.” The Congress leader said downgrading J&K into a Union Territory was an injustice done to the people of J&K. “Your democratic right has been snatched by downgrading the state into a UT,” he said.