Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut's comment that farmers should demand a return of farm laws, brought the BJP a swipe from Congress's Rahul Gandhi who questioned if it was a planned acid test by the BJP's top leadership.
"The BJP people keep testing ideas," Mr Gandhi said in a video message today. "They ask someone to keep an idea before the people and observe the reaction. This is what has happened," he said, talking of Kangana Ranaut's comment without naming her.
"Modi-ji, you clarify. Are you against this or you are again up to some mischief," he said.
Are you going to revive the black laws? If you do, I guarantee that the INDIA bloc will stand with the farmers," he added.
सरकार की नीति कौन तय कर रहा है? एक भाजपा सांसद या प्रधानमंत्री मोदी?
700 से ज़्यादा किसानों, खास कर हरियाणा और पंजाब के किसानों की शहादत ले कर भी भाजपा वालों का मन नहीं भरा।
INDIA हमारे अन्नदाताओं के विरुद्ध भाजपा का कोई भी षडयंत्र कामयाब नहीं होने देगा – अगर किसानों को नुकसान… pic.twitter.com/ekmHQq6y5D— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 25, 2024
The Congress has been up in arms over Ms Raut's comment and said "these black laws will (never be brought back now)… no matter how hard Modi and his MPs try".
Ms Ranaut, who was reprimanded by the party's top leadership over her last comment on farmers' issues, this time told reporters that the farm laws that were repealed should be brought back and "the farmers themselves should demand it".
"I know this will be controversial… but I feel the farm laws that were repealed should be brought back. The farmers themselves should demand it. They are a pillar of strength for the nation's development and I want to appeal to them – demand the laws back for your own good," she said.
The BJP again distanced itself from her comment.
"Kangana Ranaut is not authorised to make such a statement on behalf of the BJP and it doesn't depict the BJP's view on the farm bills," party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said.
"My views on farm laws are personal and they don't represent the party's stand on those Bills," Ms Ranaut responded.
