NEW DELHI: As the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) distanced itself from Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut over her statement on repealed farm laws , ally Chirag Paswan came out in her defense and said that"she will understand these things soon".
Talking to reporters, Paswan also said, "I am not upset with Kangana but she isn't just an artist now but also a member of a political party. I accept the fact that you might have your own personal opinion but when you are part of a political party, it becomes your responsibility to put forward the topics of that party."
"She is new to politics, she is taking time to understand things but she is intelligent and she will understand these things soon," Paswan said.
His remarks day after Ranaut released a video backtracking from her earlier demand to bring back the three farm laws repealed in 2021.
Ranaut said her "personal" views do not represent the BJP's stance on the matter even as the Congress demanded her expulsion from the saffron party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's explanation over the issue.
"In the past few days, media questioned me on farm laws and I suggested that farmers should appeal to the Prime Minister to bring back the farm laws.Due to my statement, a lot of people were upset. When the farmers' laws were proposed...many people supported it. But with the utmost sensitivity and sympathy...our PM rolled back the laws," Kangana said in a video she posted on X.
Kangana said it is the "duty of every member (of the BJP) to uphold the dignity of his (PM Modi's) words".
"I also need to mindful that I am not a actor but a BJP member and that my opinions shouldn't be mine but party's stand. If I have disappointed anyone with my words or opinion, I apologise. I take my words back," Kangana further said.
Her apoligy came after BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia distanced the party from her comments.
Bhatia said the BJP has not authorised Ranaut to make any such statement and nor does her stand reflect the party's views.
BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said Ranaut's "consistent, baseless and illogical rant" against farmers and Sikh community has a "damaging impact" on all the good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the welfare of "Punjab, punjabi and punjabiyat".
The prime minister's bond with the farmers and Punjab cannot be and must not be judged through the lens of one MP's "irresponsible comments", Shergill said on X.
The Himachal Pradesh BJP has also distanced itself from Ranaut's statement.
The Congress also hit out BJP over the issue, with leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi saying PM Modi must clarify whether he is opposed to Ranaut's comments or "up to some mischief".
The opposition party said the BJP must expel Ranaut if it does not agree with her statements.
In a video statement, Gandhi said, "Those associated with the BJP keep testing ideas. They ask someone to voice an idea among people and then they see the reaction. This is what has happened. One of their MPs has talked about reviving the three black farm laws. Modiji, you must clarify whether you are against this or you are again up to some mischief."
"Will the three farm laws be revived or not? If you do so, I guarantee you that the INDIA bloc will together stand against it. Seven hundred people were martyred, they must be remembered and respected," Rahul said.
"Modiji had not allowed a two-minute silence for them (those who died during the year-long anti-farm laws protest). We will never forget this," he said.
In a post in Hindi on X along with his video, he asked, "Who is deciding the government's policy? A BJP MP or Prime Minister Modi?"
"Even after the martyrdom of more than 700 farmers, especially the farmers of Haryana and Punjab, the BJP people are not satisfied. INDIA will not allow any conspiracy of the BJP against our farmers to succeed -- if any step is taken to harm the farmers, Modiji will have to apologise again," he added.
In a post on X, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Even after the martyrdom of 750 farmers, the anti-farmer BJP and Modi government did not realise their grave crime! There is talk of re-implementation of the three black anti-farmer laws. The Congress Party strongly opposes this."
The Congress president said the farmers will not forget that their colleagues were crushed under a vehicle and the government used barbed-wire fences, teargas shells from drones, nails and guns to quell their protest against the three contentious laws.
"This time, poll-bound states, including Haryana, will give a befitting reply to insulting remarks, calling farmers 'andolanjeevi' and 'parasites', hurled by the Prime Minister himself in Parliament," Kharge said in his post in Hindi.
"Due to Modiji's statements, his ministers, MPs and propaganda machinery have become habituated to insulting farmers," he alleged.
Talking to reporters, Paswan also said, "I am not upset with Kangana but she isn't just an artist now but also a member of a political party. I accept the fact that you might have your own personal opinion but when you are part of a political party, it becomes your responsibility to put forward the topics of that party."
"She is new to politics, she is taking time to understand things but she is intelligent and she will understand these things soon," Paswan said.
#WATCH | Prayagraj, UP: On BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, Union Minister Chirag Paswan says, " I am not upset with Kangana but she isn't just an artist now but also a member of a political party. I accept the fact that you might have your own personal opinion but when you are part of a… pic.twitter.com/3FWIGChiNm
— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2024
His remarks day after Ranaut released a video backtracking from her earlier demand to bring back the three farm laws repealed in 2021.
Ranaut said her "personal" views do not represent the BJP's stance on the matter even as the Congress demanded her expulsion from the saffron party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's explanation over the issue.
"In the past few days, media questioned me on farm laws and I suggested that farmers should appeal to the Prime Minister to bring back the farm laws.Due to my statement, a lot of people were upset. When the farmers' laws were proposed...many people supported it. But with the utmost sensitivity and sympathy...our PM rolled back the laws," Kangana said in a video she posted on X.
Kangana said it is the "duty of every member (of the BJP) to uphold the dignity of his (PM Modi's) words".
"I also need to mindful that I am not a actor but a BJP member and that my opinions shouldn't be mine but party's stand. If I have disappointed anyone with my words or opinion, I apologise. I take my words back," Kangana further said.
Do listen to this, I stand with my party regarding Farmers Law. Jai Hind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/wMcc88nlK2
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 25, 2024
Her apoligy came after BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia distanced the party from her comments.
Bhatia said the BJP has not authorised Ranaut to make any such statement and nor does her stand reflect the party's views.
BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said Ranaut's "consistent, baseless and illogical rant" against farmers and Sikh community has a "damaging impact" on all the good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the welfare of "Punjab, punjabi and punjabiyat".
The prime minister's bond with the farmers and Punjab cannot be and must not be judged through the lens of one MP's "irresponsible comments", Shergill said on X.
The Himachal Pradesh BJP has also distanced itself from Ranaut's statement.
The Congress also hit out BJP over the issue, with leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi saying PM Modi must clarify whether he is opposed to Ranaut's comments or "up to some mischief".
The opposition party said the BJP must expel Ranaut if it does not agree with her statements.
In a video statement, Gandhi said, "Those associated with the BJP keep testing ideas. They ask someone to voice an idea among people and then they see the reaction. This is what has happened. One of their MPs has talked about reviving the three black farm laws. Modiji, you must clarify whether you are against this or you are again up to some mischief."
"Will the three farm laws be revived or not? If you do so, I guarantee you that the INDIA bloc will together stand against it. Seven hundred people were martyred, they must be remembered and respected," Rahul said.
"Modiji had not allowed a two-minute silence for them (those who died during the year-long anti-farm laws protest). We will never forget this," he said.
In a post in Hindi on X along with his video, he asked, "Who is deciding the government's policy? A BJP MP or Prime Minister Modi?"
"Even after the martyrdom of more than 700 farmers, especially the farmers of Haryana and Punjab, the BJP people are not satisfied. INDIA will not allow any conspiracy of the BJP against our farmers to succeed -- if any step is taken to harm the farmers, Modiji will have to apologise again," he added.
In a post on X, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Even after the martyrdom of 750 farmers, the anti-farmer BJP and Modi government did not realise their grave crime! There is talk of re-implementation of the three black anti-farmer laws. The Congress Party strongly opposes this."
The Congress president said the farmers will not forget that their colleagues were crushed under a vehicle and the government used barbed-wire fences, teargas shells from drones, nails and guns to quell their protest against the three contentious laws.
"This time, poll-bound states, including Haryana, will give a befitting reply to insulting remarks, calling farmers 'andolanjeevi' and 'parasites', hurled by the Prime Minister himself in Parliament," Kharge said in his post in Hindi.
"Due to Modiji's statements, his ministers, MPs and propaganda machinery have become habituated to insulting farmers," he alleged.
