BJP MP Kangana Ranaut took to Instagram on Friday morning to claim that CISF constable Kulwinder Kaur’s actions were politically motivated. Kangana recently won her first election as an MP.
Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who recently won the Lok Sabha election from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, was slapped by CISF constable Kulwinder Kaur at the Chandigarh airport on Thursday. Kangana addressed the incident in a video shared on social media later that day, suggesting connections between the attack and terrorism in Punjab. On Friday, Kangana shared two Instagram stories detailing what happened at the airport. She also compared herself to former PM Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated by her bodyguards, and promoted her upcoming film where she plays the former PM.
Kangana claimed that the CISF constable “strategically waited” for her to cross the security check and then, “in a signature Khalistani style, quietly came from behind and hit (her) face without saying a word.” When Kangana asked the constable why she did it, the constable began speaking to other passengers who had their cameras out. “She looked away and started talking to the phone cameras focused on her (can be seen in her videos) hogging sudden public attention. Farmers’ laws have been repealed and they don’t concern anyone anymore,” she wrote. Kangana implied that the constable’s actions were politically motivated and that she was aiming for a seat in the next elections.
Kangana will portray former PM Indira Gandhi in the upcoming film Emergency, which she also directed and produced. The film was initially scheduled for release in June but was postponed after Kangana actively joined politics. She had previously claimed she would retire from films if she won the election.
On Thursday evening, Kangana took to Instagram to reassure everyone of her safety in a video message, stating, “First of all, I am safe, I am perfectly fine… As soon as I came out after the security check, a woman in another cabin, a CISF security staff, she waited for me to cross her and hit my face from the side. She started abusing me. When I asked her why, she said that she supports the farmers’ protest. I am safe but my concern is how we handle the terrorism and extremism that is increasing in Punjab.”
The incident occurred on Thursday as Kangana was entering Chandigarh airport on her way to Delhi. After the CISF constable slapped Kangana, she was caught on camera saying, “Isne bayaan diya tha na 100-100 rupye ke liye baithi hain vahan pe. Ye baithi thi vahan pe? Meri maa baithi thi vahan pe jab isne bayaan diya tha (She had given a statement that women have joined the farm protests for Rs 100. Was she there? My mother was sitting there).” During the farmers’ protest in 2020, Kangana had tweeted that an elderly woman, who was popularly known as Shaheen Bagh dadi, was “available in 100 rupees” for protests. Her tweet had received a lot of criticism.
The constable has been suspended from her duty, and a police complaint has been filed against her. Kangana has stated that she will also file a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs.