Kangana Ranaut’s alms remark ‘biggest misuse of freedom’, says BJP leader

Taking to Twitter, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor called for judicial action against Kangana Ranaut for her statement that India’s independence in 1947 was nothing but alms and the country got real freedom in 2014.

A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday slammed Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut over her ‘bheek’ remark on India’s independence and demanded judicial action against her.

Several political leaders have demanded taking back the National Award and Padma Shri recently conferred to Kangana Ranaut over her statement.(KanganaRanaut/Instagram)

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor took to Twitter on Thursday and wrote that Kangana's statements are the biggest misuse of freedom and an “insult to the sacrifice” of freedom fighters.

Taking to Twitter, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that Kangana’s statements are an “insult to the sacrifice” of freedom fighters.

“Being the son of a freedom fighter and coming from a family of freedom fighters, I find Kangana Ranaut’s remarks that India’s freedom was alms (bheeks) as the biggest misuse of freedom… I wish the judicial system of India takes cognisance,” he tweeted in Hindi on Thursday.

The national award-winning actor, who received her Padma Shri earlier this week, kicked up the latest row while participating in the annual summit of a leading media network.

Speaking about India’s freedom struggle, Kangana said, “Woh azaadi nahi thi, woh bheek thi. Aur jo azaadi mili hai woh 2014 mai mili hai (That was not freedom, those were alms. We got real freedom in 2014.)”

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power at the Centre in 2014.

Besides a strong backlash from the Congress and other opposition parties, a number of BJP leaders, including MP Varun Gandhi, have hit out at Kangana. Tweeting a video of the event, Gandhi asked if the thought process of the actor be considered “madness or treason”.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has submitted a complaint to the Mumbai Police demanding a case be lodged against Kangana.

Meanwhile, the All India Mahila Congress has written to President Ram Nath Kovind calling for the recall of her Padma Shri. A similar demand has been made by the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with the Shiv Sena saying Modi and BJP president JP Nadda must express their “Mann ki Baat” on Kangana's statements and withdraw the state awards given to her.