Kangana Ranaut delivers right message about wishing Lal Bahadur Shastri instead!
On Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut ignited controversy with a social media post that seemingly downplayed Gandhi’s significance
On Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut ignited controversy with a social media post that seemingly downplayed Gandhi’s significance as the “Father of the Nation.” While paying tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 120th birth anniversary, Ranaut wrote, “Desh ke pita nahi, desh ke to lal hote hai. Dhanye hai Bharat ma ke ye lal” (The country does not have fathers; it has sons. Blessed are these sons of Mother India). This comment was widely perceived as diminishing Gandhi’s historical stature and sparked a backlash. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate criticized Ranaut, accusing her of making a “lewd jibe” against Mahatma Gandhi. Shrinate went further, claiming that Ranaut’s remarks aligned her with those who venerated Nathuram Godse, Gandhi’s assassin while asking if Prime Minister Narendra Modi would condone such statements.
The Congress leader’s response came amid a larger conversation about the reverence for different historical figures within Indian politics. In addition to Shrinate, senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia condemned Ranaut’s remarks, stating that such controversial statements create unnecessary trouble for the party. Kalia also urged Ranaut to think carefully before speaking, pointing out that politics requires a more serious and thoughtful approach. It is not the first time Ranaut has been embroiled in controversy. In September, she faced backlash for advocating the reinstatement of the three farm laws repealed after nationwide protests. Her comments about the farmers’ protests, which she linked to a “Bangladesh-type situation,” had also stirred considerable outrage. Ranaut, who was elected as an MP in June, later retracted her statements, acknowledging the responsibility that comes with her political role.
