BJP Calls FIR Against Kangana Ranaut ‘Politically Motivated’; Congress Defends Action
A political controversy has erupted in Himachal Pradesh after Shimla Police registered an FIR against BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut over her social media posts targeting the Gandhi family, particularly Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
The FIR was registered on Friday following a complaint alleging that Ranaut’s November 10 post contained inflammatory remarks about the deaths of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her sons, Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. She has been booked on charges related to promoting enmity, public mischief and defamation.
Reacting to the development, BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur termed the FIR politically motivated and accused the Congress-led government of political vendetta. He defended Ranaut’s remarks as her personal opinion, asserting that everyone has the right to express their views in a democracy. He also accused the Congress government of selectively targeting BJP leaders over social media posts.
Meanwhile, Congress minister Jagat Singh Negi defended the police action, stating that legal action against false and defamatory allegations is justified. He accused the BJP of making baseless claims against Sonia Gandhi and alleged that the party was uncomfortable with the issues raised in her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love.
According to the complaint filed by Shimla resident Atul Sharma, one of Ranaut’s posts described Sonia Gandhi as a “mysterious foreign national” and made insinuations about the deaths of her relatives and her eventual rise to political power. The post reportedly ended with the remark, “How convenient.” Ranaut also made claims regarding Maneka Gandhi’s alleged expulsion from the family residence following Sanjay Gandhi’s death.
The complainant alleged that such statements could spread misinformation, promote hostility and disturb public peace and social harmony. The FIR has triggered a fresh political face-off between the BJP and Congress in Himachal Pradesh.
