Kangana Ranaut Demands Repealed Farm Laws Be Brought Back, Opposition Says BJP Using Her As 'Proxy'

Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday said that repealed farm laws should be brought back in the interest of farmers, triggering backlash from opposition parties ahead of crucial Haryana Assembly elections.

The Lok Sabha MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi called farmers “pillar of strength in India’s progress” and said they should demand farm laws for their prosperity.

“Farm laws should be brought back. I think this can become controversial. They are in farmers’ interest. Farmers should demand (to bring farm laws back) so that they can prosper…. Farmers are pillar of strength in India’s progress. Only some states objected to farm laws. I urge that farm laws should be brought back in the interest of farmers,” Ranaut was heard as saying in a video shared by Congress on X.

Farmers from Haryana and Punjab led massive protests against now-withdrawn farm laws in 2020 and camped at borders of Delhi for more than a year after three bills were passed by the Parliament. However, the government withdrew the laws after protesting farmers did not back down from their demands.

The Mandi MP’s remark came almost a month after she was rebuked by the BJP over her controversial comment on farmers’ protest.

“Bangladesh-like anarchy could have happened in India also like in the name of Farmers protest. Outside forces are planning to destroy us with the help of insiders. If it hadn’t been the foresight of our leadership they would have succeeded,” Kangana Ranaut was heard saying in a video shared on microblogging site X.

Congress Social Media Chairperson Supriya Shrinate had said Ranaut called country’s farmers “murderers and rapists”.

Oppn Slams Kangana, BJP

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa said the BJP must take immediate action against the actor if the party does not support her remark.

“Using Kangana as a proxy to attack farmers is a calculated move. The BJP must clarify its stance on the farmers and the farm laws. Rather than pushing for these destructive laws, Kangana should step away from politics and focus on reviving her fading Bollywood career,” the Congress leader wrote on X.

AAP MP from Punjab Malvinder Singh Kang said, “I feel sorry for PM Modi. He said that he was unable to understand farmers’ concerns and he is taking back (farmers’) laws… It seems like either Kangana is challenging PM Modi or PM Modi has become helpless, only BJP can tell.”