Picture ; ANI / X
Controversy and Kangana Ranaut are probably the two sides of the same coin. Making her political debut recently, she joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). She would be contesting from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Actor turned politician Ranaut, known for her outspoken views, has once again stirred controversy with her latest statement, leaving many shocked when she claimed in an event that Subhas Chandra Bose was India’s first Prime Minister and not Jawaharlal Nehru. The clip from the interview has gone viral on social media, where she says, “Let me clear this first. When we gained independence, where did the first Prime Minister of India, Subhash Chandra Bose, go?” Despite attempts by the interviewer to correct her, she insisted, “No, please clarify this today. Where did he go?”
Quick to clarify her claim, Ranaut shared a screenshot of a news on X which referred to Bose’s establishment of a self-proclaimed government, Azad Hind, wherein he declared himself as the prime minister.
In the post, Ranaut said, “All those who are giving me gyan on the first PM of Bharat, do read this screenshot. Here’s some general knowledge for the beginners, all those geniuses who are asking me to get some education must know that I have written, acted, and directed a film called Emergency which primarily revolves around the Nehru family, so no mansplaining please.”
All those who are giving me gyan on first PM of Bharata do read this screen shot here’s some general knowledge for the beginners, all those geniuses who are asking me to get some education must know that I have written, acted, directed a film called Emergency which primarily… pic.twitter.com/QN0jD3rMfu
— Kangana Ranaut (Modi Ka Parivar) (@KanganaTeam) April 5, 2024
Amid the ongoing debate on her claim, Subhas Chandra Bose’s family reacted to Ranaut’s post on X and sought to correct her. “Netaji could be labelled as the first and last PM of undivided and united India, and not the PM of a partitioned India. He did not declare himself as the PM but was made so in the Azad Hind government in exile,” Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Netaji said recently.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a political thinker, soldier, statesman, visionary and the 1st PM of undivided India. The only leader who could unite all communities as Bharatiyas to fight for India’s freedom. Real respect to the leader would be to follow his inclusive ideology. Chandra Kumar Bose wrote on X.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a political thinker,soldier,statesman, visionary and the 1st PM of undivided India.The only leader who could unite all communities as Bharatiyas to fight for India’s freedom.Real respect to the leader would be to follow his inclusive ideology. pic.twitter.com/W4zjrHYOVs
— Chandra Kumar Bose (@Chandrakbose) April 6, 2024
Not new to the controversies, Ranaut had earlier stirred a similar controversy in 2021 when she had said that India truly gained independence when the BJP came to power in 2014. She had then described the country’s Independence in 1947 as “bheek”, or alms. The same year, an FIR was filed against Ranaut for allegedly spreading hate propaganda and inciting communal violence in West Bengal. The complaint stated that the actor had maligned the image of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The police filed a case against Ranaut after she took a direct dig at Banerjee while responding to the post-poll violence in West Bengal. Her remarks led to the suspension of her X account for provoking anger and violence. The account was restored only two years later.
In 2020, she faced severe backlash and a legal notice after she stated that Mumbai police “haunts her more than the mafias of Bollywood”. She then compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This led to a political turbulence, and the involvement of the then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. A municipal crew paid a surprise visit to Ranaut’s production house, and issued her a notice for illegal construction, and later even carried out a demolition drive.
Now that Ranaut has taken a plunge in the politics, one thing will always be expected from her…sensitivity. For too many controversies in the political life don’t take you far, rather it turns suicidal. She should be more sensitive and responsible in making any remarks, whatsoever. The voter is more aware and intelligent and gives back immediately. It is no Bollywood, where dreams are sold, it is real life where every promise and word is taken seriously!
