Farmers' protest remark: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut granted bail by Bathinda court

BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi and actress Kangana Ranaut was on Monday granted bail by the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Bathinda, in a defamation case filed against her over an alleged derogatory remark made during the 2020-21 farmers’ protest.

After appearing before the court in the afternoon, Kangana told mediapersons, “This is just a misunderstanding. I had only retweeted a meme and did not intend to hurt specifically anyone. I have already discussed the matter with Mahinder Kaur ji’s husband and apologised to him as she was not present today. During the farmers’ andolan, several memes were being circulated, and one of them was retweeted by me inadvertently.”

However, advocate Raghbir Singh Behniwal, counsel for complainant Mahinder Kaur, contested Kangana’s claim, stating, “Kangana Ranaut told the court that she had retweeted by mistake and not targeted anyone. But my client’s husband Labh Singh has said she has never apologised in the past. Kangana also moved an application seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance on security grounds, which we opposed.”

The case has now been transferred from the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class to that of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (Special Court), and the next hearing is scheduled for November 24.

The case pertains to a tweet by Kangana during the farmers’ protest, in which she shared a photograph of Mahinder Kaur, an elderly woman farmer from Bahadurgarh Jandian village here, comparing her with Bilkis Bano, the elderly woman who became a symbol of the Shaheen Bagh protests.

Kangana had allegedly claimed that such women were “available for Rs 100” to join protests. The remark drew widespread criticism, prompting Mahinder Kaur to file a defamation complaint in January 2021, alleging that her dignity and reputation had been harmed.

Following the Supreme Court’s recent refusal to exempt Kangana from personal appearance, she was directed to appear in person before the trial court.

The Bathinda police had turned the district court complex into a high-security zone, deploying additional personnel and erecting barricades at all entry and exit points.

Kangana had earlier failed to appear before the court despite being summoned. Her plea for exemption from personal appearance and for virtual proceedings was rejected during the last hearing on September 29, after which summons were served through the police.

The actress had also approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court and later the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of the case, but was denied relief.