Kangana Ranaut, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh landed in trouble over her alleged anti-farmer remarks as a farmer body sought an apology from her. The Samyukt Kisan Manch Thursday sought an apology from Ranaut for allegedly making insulting remarks against farmers during their 2020-2021 anti-farm laws stir.
SKM convener Harish Chauhan in Shimla said, "How can Kangana seek the votes of the farmers and expect our support when she has insulted the farmer community? She should first apologise."
During the 2020-2021 farmer agitation against the three farm laws, Bollywood actor Kangana had allegedly misidentified a woman farmer from Punjab and called her Bilkis Bano, an octogenarian who made international headlines during the anti-CAA protests earlier in the Delhi neighbourhood of Shaheen Bagh.
The actor had reportedly shared a post on Twitter (now X) alleging that the "Shaheen Bagh Dadi" also joined the farmers' agitation over the new farm laws at various border points of the national capital.
With the caption - "same Dadi" who featured in Time Magazine was "available in 100 rupees", Ranaut retweeted the post with pictures of two elderly women, including Bilkis Bano. However, she deleted her posts after the Twitter users pointed out that both the women were different.
Addressing media persons, Chauhan said inspite of the fact that 70 per cent of the voters in the state are farmers, their issues were never raised by the MPs from the state during the past 10 years.
"We will render support to Congress candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha seat Vikramaditya Singh as he has been a part of SKM and has raised our issues in the Vidhan Sabha," Chauhan said.
The SKM has prepared a five-point demand charter and will support the parties which include these demands in their agenda, he said, adding that the loans of the farmers are not waived off in Himachal.
(With PTI inputs)
