The ruling party BJP has given a formal rebuke to Bollywood actress and Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut for remarks in which she correlated the ongoing farmers' protest in India with violence in Bangladesh. BJP told the media that it was not the stand of the official party and clarified that she did not have any mandate to speak on agriculture policy or issues relating to farmers. This incident has raised many questions about the accountability public figures are supposed to have and the leverage they hold over political discourse.
Image Source - BJP
Official Statement from BJP
In an official statement, the party was quoted criticizing the statements made by Kangana Ranaut: "BJP MP Ms. Kangana Ranaut's statement on farmers' protest is not the party's stand." In this regard, the statement asked her not to repeat the mistake and henceforth, there ought to be a single voice on sensitive issues. "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayaas" - the spirit ensconced in that motto was said to reflect "Together with all, Development for all, Trust of all, and Efforts of all".
BJP MP @KanganaTeam says “dead bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place” at the farmers protest.
BJP : "The statement given by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of farmers' movement is not the opinion of the party. BJP expresses disagreement with the statement of… pic.twitter.com/3Qi9NvxZB8— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 26, 2024
Context of the Remarks
Kangana Ranaut had likened the current farmers' protests in India to the larger civil unrest that is happening in neighboring Bangladesh. Her comments brought a load of disapproval from political opponents and social activists at the far end of the political spectrum, who claimed bonafide issues of the farmers were being trivialized. These started as responses to three contested farm laws in 2020 and, since then, have involved some big mobilizations by farmers of the country, primarily from Punjab and Haryana.
Image Source - News 24
The Influence of Public Figures on Political Conversations
This situation portends implications farther-reaching about the function of public figures in fashioning political discourses. Celebrities are considered to be very powerful because they can influence public opinion, thus dangerous personalities. The BJP's response to Ranaut, of course, reminds us that even within a party, one has to be cautious about the public discourse coinciding with the consensus position.
Political analysts explain that this censure might well turn into an astute move by the BJP to diffuse any potential backlash from the farming community, with elections around the corner. The agitation of farmers brought serious issues about the agricultural sector to the limelight, and people will carefully scrutinize the BJP's attitude toward these issues.
As the political history of the unfolding narrative became more pronounced, the reprimand of Kangana Ranaut by the BJP elucidated how important coherent messaging in a political party is. It also shows the thin line these public figures must tread while commenting on sensitive social issues.
Inputs by Agencies
Image Source: Multiple Agencies
Ⓒ Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved Powered by Vygr Media.
