Kangana Ranaut moves HC seeking to quash FIR over 'anti-Sikh' comment
Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash a First Information Report (FIR) registered against her last month by Mumbai Police following a complaint by a Sikh organization. Ranaut portrayed the farmers' protest on Delhi borders against the controversial farm laws as a Khalistani movement in an Instagram post on November 21, the complainants had alleged.
Following this, a case for `hurting religious sentiments' was registered against her by police here. In her post, the actor had referred to "Khalistani terrorists" and invoked former prime minister late Indira Gandhi who "crushed" them.
In an Instagram story, Ranaut said: "Khalistani terrorists may be arm twisting the government today. But let's not forget one woman. The only woman prime minister ne inn ko apni jooti ke niche crush kia tha (The only woman prime minister crushed them under her shoe) No matter how much suffering she caused to this nation she crushed them like mosquitoes at the cost of her own life Lekin desh ke tukde nahi hone diye (but didn't let the country disintegrate) even after decades of her death aaj bhi uske naam se kaampte hai yeh inko vaisa he guru chahiye (even today, they shiver at her name, they need a guru like her)."
The actor's petition, filed last month through advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, contended that her post was misconstrued and she had no intention of hurting the Sikh community's sentiments.
The post was not against farmers but against a banned organization, and it was within her fundamental right to free speech, the actor, known for making controversial statements, said in the plea. The HC should "protect her legitimate rights and liberties by quashing the FIR," said the petition, which is yet to be listed for hearing.
