The recent electoral debut of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has sparked controversy following derogatory remarks made by a Congress leader on social media. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded immediate action against the politician responsible for the offensive post.
The controversy arose when a derogatory post accompanied by a photo of Kangana Ranaut surfaced on the Instagram handle of Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate. Kangana Ranaut, known for her outspokenness and strong opinions, is contesting the elections on a BJP ticket from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.
मेरे फेसबुक और इंस्टा के अकाउंट पर कई लोगों का एक्सेस है. इसमें से किसी व्यक्ति ने आज एक बेहद घृणित और आपत्तिजनक पोस्ट किया था.
मुझे जैसे ही इसकी जानकारी हुई मैंने वह पोस्ट हटा दिया. जो भी मुझे जानते हैं, वह यह अच्छी तरह से जानते हैं कि मैं किसी भी महिला के लिए व्यक्तिगत भोंडी… pic.twitter.com/CFDNXuxmo2
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) March 25, 2024
Responding to the remarks made by Shrinate, Kangana Ranaut took to social media to assert her stance. She highlighted her diverse roles in films, ranging from a prostitute in “Rajjo” to a revolutionary leader in “Thalaivii.” Emphasizing the importance of respecting women’s dignity, Kangana urged society to rise above prejudices and refrain from using derogatory language.
Dear Supriya ji
In the last 20 years of my career as an artist I have played all kinds of women. From a naive girl in Queen to a seductive spy in Dhaakad, from a goddess in Manikarnika to a demon in Chandramukhi, from a prostitute in Rajjo to a revolutionary leader in Thalaivii.… pic.twitter.com/GJbhJTQAzW— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 25, 2024
In a video clarification, Supriya Shrinate claimed that the inappropriate posts were made from her handle without her knowledge. She asserted that she had promptly deleted the posts upon discovering them. Shrinate attributed the offensive remarks to a parody account impersonating her and expressed her intention to identify the individual responsible for the post. She also reported the parody account to Twitter for further investigation.
If a young man gets ticket his ideology is attacked if a young woman gets ticket her sexuality is attacked.
Strange !!
Also congress people are sexualising a small town’s name.
Mandi is being used in sexual context every where, just because it has a young woman candidate, shame… pic.twitter.com/BIn2XfWXjz— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 25, 2024
Despite Shrinate’s clarification, the controversy escalated with Kangana Ranaut sharing a screenshot of a conversation involving a Gujarat Congress leader making derogatory remarks about her electoral debut. Kangana criticized the Congress party for resorting to sexist attacks and sexualizing her candidacy in Mandi.
This initiation into politics by fire @KanganaTeam is not a reflection on who you are but on what they have done & are capable of continuing to do for they can’t fathom how to deal with women of steel. March onto victory . Vijayi Bhav! https://t.co/FbuHu0xTnZ
— Smriti Z Irani (Modi Ka Parivar) (@smritiirani) March 25, 2024
Union Minister Smriti Irani came out in support of Kangana Ranaut, praising her resilience in the face of adversity. Irani condemned the Congress party’s behavior and expressed solidarity with Kangana.
In response to the incident, the NCW wrote to the Election Commission of India, urging swift action against those responsible for the offensive remarks. The NCW emphasized that such behavior was intolerable and undermined the dignity of women.
National Commission for Women is appalled by the disgraceful conduct of Ms. Supriya Shrinate and Mr. H.S. Ahir, who made lewd and derogatory remarks about @KanganaTeam on social media. Such behavior is intolerable and goes against the dignity of women. @sharmarekha has sent a…
— NCW (@NCWIndia) March 25, 2024
The controversy surrounding Kangana Ranaut’s electoral debut highlights the need for respectful discourse in politics. It also underscores the challenges faced by women in public life, who are often subjected to gender-based discrimination and derogatory remarks. As the electoral campaign progresses, it is essential for political parties and leaders to uphold the principles of dignity and respect for all individuals, regardless of gender or political affiliation.