Row over Kangana’s ‘azadi in 2014’ remark

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 11

Varun Gandhi, a BJP leader, today slammed actor Kangana Ranaut for describing India’s Independence in 1947 as “bheek” or alms — a remark that kicked off yet another controversy yesterday.

madness or treason?

Should I call this madness or treason? It is an anti-national act and must be called out as such. To not do so would be a betrayal of all those who shed blood to free the nation. — Varun Gandhi, BJP Leader

Known for her inflammatory statements and right-wing leanings, the actor received criticism across the spectrum, with several social media users calling her remark as “nonsense”.

Varun said, “Sometimes insult to the sacrifice and penance of Mahatma Gandhi, sometimes showing respect to his killer and now this disdain for the sacrifice of millions of freedom fighters from Shaheed Mangal Pandey to Rani Laxmibai, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and others…

“Should I call this kind of thinking madness or treason?” he said, sharing the clip in which Ranaut could be heard saying that India’s Independence in 1947 was not freedom but “bheek. And we got real freedom in 2014” amid sound of clapping from some members of the audience.