'I stand with my party': BJP MP Kangana Ranaut withdraws statement on farm laws

Kangana Ranaut, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP for the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh withdrew her statement on the repealed farm laws after facing criticism and said that she stands with the party on it.

Hours after Kangana asserted that her statement on the issue was her personal views, she withdrew the statement.

In her statement, she urged farmers to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reinstate the three repealed farm laws of 2020.

However, her statement prompted criticism.

"Many people are upset and disappointed by my remarks. When the three farmers' laws were proposed, a lot of us supported it. But with a lot of sensitivity and sympathy, our PM repealed these laws. It’s the responsibility of all the party workers to treat his words with dignity. I also have to keep in mind that I am no longer just an actor but also a BJP member. My opinions can’t be personal, they have to reflect the party’s stand," she said in a video on X.

“I regret if I have disappointed anyone with my words or opinions. I take my words back,” she added.

She posted the video with the caption, “I stand with my party regarding Farmers Law.”

Kangana, on Tuesday, asserted that her views are "personal and they don't represent (the) party's stand on those bills."

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This comes after BJP's national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia distanced the party from Kangana's statement.

“Kangana Ranaut’s remarks on the repealed farm laws are doing the rounds on social media. I want to make it clear that this is Kangana Ranaut’s personal view. Neither has BJP authorised her to give such statements nor does her statement reflect the BJP’s views on the repealed farm laws. Which is why we rebut her statement,” Bhatia said.

Kangana Ranaut's statement

Earlier on Monday, Mandi MP Kangana urged farmers to demand that the central government reinstate the three farm laws repealed in 2021 after widespread protests.

She was speaking at a religious fair in Nachan Assembly, part of her constituency.

“I believe the repealed farm laws should be brought back. I understand it may become controversial, but I think these farmer-welfare-oriented laws should return. Farmers should demand these laws themselves. Just as farmers in other regions are benefiting, there should be no obstacles to their development,” she said in her statement.

Congress criticised her statement

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed BJP after Kangana's remarks, which came just ahead of the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.

Kharge said that Congress "strongly opposes any talk of re-implementing the three black anti-farmer laws”.

“Even after the martyrdom of 750 farmers, the anti-farmer BJP and Modi government did not realize their grave crime! Due to the statements made by Modiji, his ministers, MPs and propaganda machinery have become accustomed to insulting farmers,” he added.

“This time, farmers from all the electoral states, including Haryana, will get a befitting reply to the derogatory remarks of the Prime Minister himself in Parliament, calling them ‘agitators’ and ‘parasites’,” Kharge said.

Meanwhile, farmer union leaders called Kangana's statement a 'tactic' to be in the spotlight.

Dr Darshan Pal, national coordination committee member of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, said that the MP was trying to “provoke” farmers.

(With inputs from agencies)