A CISF constable, accused of slapping actor and newly-elected Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport for “disrespecting farmers,” has been arrested. The incident took place while Ranaut was en route to board a flight to Delhi.
The Incident at Chandigarh Airport
On Thursday, as Kangana Ranaut made her way through Chandigarh airport, she was allegedly slapped by CISF constable Kulwinder Kaur. Following the incident, a police case was registered against Kaur, who was also suspended from duty. Reports suggest that Kaur was provoked by an old statement made by Ranaut about farmers.
The Statement That Triggered the Incident
Kulwinder Kaur explained her actions, referring to a statement Ranaut made during the 2020 farmers’ protest against the three farm laws introduced by the government. “She gave a statement… that farmers are sitting there for ₹100. Will she go and sit there? My mother was sitting there and protesting when she gave this statement,” Kaur stated.
In a controversial social media post during the peak of the protests, Ranaut had claimed that an elderly woman at one of the protest sites was being paid ₹100 to sit there. This post faced severe backlash, leading the actor to delete it.
The Airport Confrontation
Eyewitnesses at the airport recorded a video showing Kangana Ranaut being escorted to the security checkpoint where the confrontation took place. Although the video captures an argument breaking out, it does not show the alleged slap.
Kangana Ranaut’s Response
Ranaut quickly took to social media to share her side of the story. In a video posted on X, she described the incident, stating, “The incident happened at the security check-in. The woman guard waited for me to cross. She then came and hit me… started throwing expletives. I asked (her) why she hit me. She said, ‘I support farmers’. I am safe… but my concern is terrorism is rising in Punjab. How do we handle that?”
Controversial Statements and Backlash
This isn’t the first time Ranaut has stirred controversy with her comments on the farmers’ protest. In February 2021, she responded to a post by singer Rihanna, who highlighted the protests, asking, “Why aren’t we talking about this?” In response, Ranaut labeled the protesters as “terrorists,” claiming, “No one is talking about it because they are not farmers, they are terrorists who are trying to divide India, so that China can take over our vulnerable broken nation and make it a Chinese colony much like the USA… Sit down you fool, we are not selling our nation like you dummies.” This post was also deleted after receiving significant backlash.
A Prolonged Agitation
The farmers’ protest, which began in 2020, attracted widespread attention both in India and internationally. Throughout the agitation, Kangana Ranaut made several controversial posts, questioning the legitimacy of the protests and attacking the protesters. Her remarks have often sparked heated debates and strong reactions online.
What’s Next?
As the investigation into the airport incident continues, the arrest and suspension of Kulwinder Kaur bring into focus the tensions that still simmer over the farmers’ protest and its aftermath. For Kangana Ranaut, the incident adds another chapter to her controversial public persona, one that continues to evoke strong reactions from supporters and critics alike.