Venkat Raman
Auckland, November 12, 2021
There have been occasions when we had sympathised with Kangana Ranaut.
She has often been seen as a victim of discrimination and unfair treatment by the icons of the film industry. She is also known as a maverick actress who speaks her mind and heart.
In each of these incidents, she was seen as a victim, as the wronged woman, whose vulnerability was abused and violated.
Riling comments
But all those outpourings of empathy vanished when she made indiscretionary and mischievous statements at the Times Now Summit 2021 held in New Delhi on November 11, 2021. Having started well as a self-taught woman, she delved into politics and made some disastrous comments that have riled a cross-section of the communities in India and overseas.
She said that India became truly free in 2014, the year in which Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister leading his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that the freedom obtained in 1947 was through ‘bheek’ or alms- that the leaders begged for independence and got it.
Such a sweeping comment, made in the public domain, beamed across the world through video clips and social platforms was a serious assault on the Nation itself.
The Freedom Struggle
People like us, who have had our grandparents and immediate relatives involved in the freedom struggle, are in the know of the facts: that the Freedom Movement was a long-fought battle through Ahimsa or Non-Violence, that it required sacrifice, forfeiture of personal comforts and careers, that there were protracted discussions among leaders and finally the dawn of independence. There was neither compromise nor entreaty but sheer determination, peaceful protests and non-cooperation means, which along with the perseverance of the leaders, brought freedom to India.
For a naïve person, bereft of political knowledge and history, to say that the Congress was an ‘extension of the British Raj’ was very reprehensible. Independent India is an example of a thriving democracy and every Federal and State election has been open and fair. Political fortune changes periodically with parties in opposition elected to occupy treasury benches, which in itself is a sign of a healthy democracy. To say that the Congress Party was an extension of the British is an insult to the people of India.
Emotions stirred
With her unwarranted and unthoughtful comments, Ms Ranaut has landed herself in trouble and stirred the emotions of the Indian people and the Diaspora.
There are already calls that the ‘Padma Shri Award’ conferred on her by President Ram Nath Kovind just three days prior, on the grounds that she has committed ‘treason.’
Understandably, the Congress Party has taken serious objections to Ms Ranaut’s comments.
Senior Spokesperson Anand Sharma described them as ‘shocking and outrageous.’
“Kangana Ranaut has insulted the courageous freedom fighters led by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel and belittling the sacrifices of revolutionaries like Sardar Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad and several others.”
Urging President Kovind to take back the Padma Shri Award given to Ms Ranaut, Mr Sharma said that those selected for such Awards should be subject to psychiatric evaluation.
“Prime Minister Modi should break his silence and tell the Nation if he endorses the views of Ranaut. If not, he should take appropriate legal action against such people,” he said.
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.
Ranaut, known for provocative and often inflammatory statements, was once again the centre of debate and ire for her remarks, with politicians across the spectrum, including BJP Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi, among the host of social media users and others who reacted with outrage for her comments at an event on Wednesday evening.
Achievements of the Modi government
Ms Ranaut has every right to feel proud of Mr Modi and the BJP government. Arguably, India has made significant strides since May 2014 and the Indian economy is today the most diverse and progressive in the world and is poised to take the country to the position of pre-eminence in the world in less than five years from now. The government’s response to Covid-19, although faltering in the beginning, has begun to yield results. Mr Modi and his Cabinet led the world’s largest vaccination drive with remarkable success.
He has the endorsement of the world and hence people like Ms Ranaut are a distraction.
India is undoubtedly on the right path to prosperity. But it must solve some of the serious challenges at hand- the most pronounced and endemic of which is corruption.
Limiting Freedom
People like Ms Ranaut have also prompted many people to consider what constitutes freedom of speech and what thwarts it. A debate will also inevitably arise as to whether her comments, directed against a political party, constitutes hate speech.
Social media make it easy for anyone to say or publish anything to a potentially global audience. This is a huge boost for freedom of speech and has led to a vast increase in the volume of material published.
But when words and pictures move so rapidly across borders, conflict often results. Different nations have different notions of what may and may not be said.
Hate speech is, outside the law, communication that vilifies a person or a group based on colour, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristics.
In most countries of the world, hate speech is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display that is forbidden because it may incite violence or prejudicial action against or by a protected individual or group, or because it disparages or intimidates a protected individual or group. The law may identify a protected individual or a protected group by disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, nationality, religion, race, sexual orientation.
Freedom of expression should not get beyond reason and public sentiments.
Proactive elite
Its intelligentsia should become more proactive and lend their calibre to cleanse the polity and society of corruption that is eating into the vitals of political and other institutions, participate in lifting literacy standards and foster progress.
Marching towards its chosen destiny, India disparately needs its sons and daughters to promote the ideals of their forefathers, freedom fighters and leaders to make it even a greater nation. The country needs men and women who would not just do lip service but contribute towards its continued progress and prosperity.
India’s tryst with destiny has inspired the world.
It should inspire the Diaspora as well.
