Kangana Ranaut meets BJP's president JP Nadda amidst backlash over farmers' protest remarks

In the wake of her controversial comments about the 2020-21 farmers’ protests, BJP Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut was summoned for a meeting with party president and Union Health Minister J P Nadda at his residence in Delhi on Thursday morning. This development comes after her party had swiftly distanced itself from her remarks and advised her against making such statements.

As reported by The Indian Express, the meeting lasted about half an hour, after which Nadda attended a crucial Haryana core group meeting to finalise the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections. The BJP Central Election Committee is expected to formally approve these candidates soon.

Ranaut’s summoning is perceived as a stern reminder from Nadda to remain cautious with her public statements, especially as the party gears up for significant Assembly elections in key states. These elections come at a critical time for the BJP, following its reduced tally from 303 to 240 in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Ranaut’s remarks have posed a major embarrassment for the BJP ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls, particularly since Haryana was a central hub of the farmers’ protests that blocked roads to the national capital for an entire year, demanding the repeal of three contentious farm laws. The protests only ended after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of these laws.

With Haryana's Assembly elections slated for October, many say that Ranaut’s comments could potentially harm the BJP’s prospects in the state. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's performance in Haryana dropped from 10 seats to just five, while the Congress saw a significant increase in its vote share from 28% to 43%.

Opposition parties have seized on Ranaut’s statements, despite the BJP’s efforts to distance itself from them. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized Ranaut, stating that she was elected to address the issues of her constituency, not to make inflammatory remarks. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu echoed similar sentiments, condemning any insult to the country's farmers. In Haryana, Aam Aadmi Party workers held protests against Ranaut’s statement.

Ranaut, known for her controversial public comments, recently stated in a media interview that “what happened in Bangladesh wouldn’t have taken time to happen in India” if not for strong leadership. She claimed that the farmers’ protests had involved crimes like rape and murder, and suggested that foreign powers were behind a conspiracy against India. Following her statement, BJP issued a stern statement distancing itself from her comments. In an interview with India Today, Ranaut agreed that she was reprimanded by the party for her comments. 

"Of course I was reprimanded, and that's fine. It's fine with me. I do not think that I am the final voice. I have to be really crazy and stupid to believe that. I do believe in the guidance of my superiors. That's how that's how every system works," she told India Today.