‘It was alms given to a beggar,’ says the actress
Venkat Raman
Auckland, November 12, 2021
Controversial film actor Kangana Ranaut has turned the heat on the social media with her comment that ‘India begged for freedom in 1947’ and that the ‘The Congress Party’ was an extension of the British Raj.
She was speaking to anchor Navika Kumar at the Times Now Summit 2021 held in New Delhi on Thursday, November 11, 2021, three days after receiving her ‘Padma Shri,’ a high Civilian Award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Ms Ranaut said that India’s freedom (obtained on August 15) 1947 was a ‘bheek’ (‘alms given to a beggar’) and that real freedom came to India in 2014 when Narendra Modi was sworn-in as the Prime Minister (May 26) following a sweeping win by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the general election held that year.
Calling the Congress Party ‘an extension of the British,’ she said that people like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Lakshmibai (Rani of Jhansi) or Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose knew that blood would flow but it should not be Hindustani blood. They knew. They paid a price of course,” she said and waxing into Hindi, declared, ‘Who azadi nahi thi, who bheek thi. Aur jo azadi mili hai who 2014 mai mili hai’ (‘That was not freedom, that was alms. We got real freedom in 2014’).
कभी महात्मा गांधी जी के त्याग और तपस्या का अपमान, कभी उनके हत्यारे का सम्मान, और अब शहीद मंगल पाण्डेय से लेकर रानी लक्ष्मीबाई, भगत सिंह, चंद्रशेखर आज़ाद, नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस और लाखों स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों की कुर्बानियों का तिरस्कार।
इस सोच को मैं पागलपन कहूँ या फिर देशद्रोह? pic.twitter.com/Gxb3xXMi2Z
— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) November 11, 2021
BJP not amused
Her senseless remarks did not please even the ranks in BJP.
Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi said that Ranaut’s comment amounted to an “anti-national act and must be called out as such.”
While stating that people can never forget the infinite sacrifices of the freedom movement and the millions of lives lost and families destroyed in the process, he said that to belittle it in such a “shameful manner” cannot be described simply as a careless or callous statement.
Meanwhile, the National Executive Chairman of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Preethi Menon has lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police seeking an FIR against the actor for her “seditious remarks.”
There have been angry remarks against the actress on Twitter.
Some said that the actress should be booked for sedition, while others said that the Padma Shri Award should be withdrawn.
Actor Swara Bhasker wrote, “Who are the idiots who are clapping is what I want to know.”
Aucklander resents remarks
Aucklander Davinder Raval said that he was offended by the comments of Ms Ranaut.
He sent us the following Statement:
“Actress Kangana Ranaut has been conferred with India’s fourth-highest civilian honour Padma Shri Award from President Ramnath Kovind at a glittering function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 8. 2021.
“In her astonishing statement, Kangana says that she is quite proud with the way the Indian government has recognised her fight against the enemies of the country. Kangana boldly uses the word Jihadi’s and Khalistanis in her words.
A shocking and shameful statement was made by Kangana at an event on Wednesday evening. In the 24-second clip, Ranaut can be heard saying, India’s independence in 1947 was “acquired by begging” before the British while “real independence came in 2014.”
“She was speaking at a news channel programme in which some of the audience members can be heard applauding at her words.
Insult to freedom fighters
“This shameful statement is an insult to the courageous freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Her words are also ignorant and belittling the blood, sweat and sacrifices of revolutionaries like Sardar Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose, Udham Singh and Lala Lajpat Rai and millions of freedom fighters.
These words are also an attack on the Indian Constitution. Her statement is a deliberate insult in an attempt to disturb the peace and unity amongst Indians.
India celebrated its 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021, with pride to mark its freedom from British rule. India’s Independence Day is significant as it stands as a reminder of the sacrifices that many freedom fighters made to get independence from British rule.
This is a very ignorant and disrespectful statement from her. She should apologise and the government should take appropriate legal action against such people who deliberately try to provoke and disturb the peace amongst Indians.
