'We Got Alms Rather Than Freedom': Bollywood Actress Kangana Ranaut Sparks Outrage Over 1947

Recently, the actress has not only targeted her colleagues in the film industry but also become embroiled in various political issues including the farmers’ protest. Twitter has even suspended her account permanently for repeated violations of rules.

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has landed in fresh load of hot water for making a sweeping statement about India's independence from Britain after a freedom struggle.

Ranaut, the winner of four National Film Awards, on Monday received the honour of Padma Shri (India's fourth-highest civilian award), and said India got its real independence in 2014, and that what the country had received in 1947 was ‘bheekh’ (alms).

In 2014, the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a thumping victory in the general elections throwing Congress - the party of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and his descendants - out of office.

Slamming Ranaut for her statement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Varun Gandhi said: “Sometimes she insults the sacrifice and self-suffering of Mahatma Gandhi, sometimes she glorifies his assassin and now she is insulting the sacrifices of martyrs such as Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmibai, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose - not to mention hundreds of thousands of freedom fighters. Should I term such thinking madness or treason?”

कभी महात्मा गांधी जी के त्याग और तपस्या का अपमान, कभी उनके हत्यारे का सम्मान, और अब शहीद मंगल पाण्डेय से लेकर रानी लक्ष्मीबाई, भगत सिंह, चंद्रशेखर आज़ाद, नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस और लाखों स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों की कुर्बानियों का तिरस्कार।

इस सोच को मैं पागलपन कहूँ या फिर देशद्रोह? pic.twitter.com/Gxb3xXMi2Z

— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) November 11, 2021

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa also condemned the actress for her statement.

By calling freedom of 1947 as BHEEKH, Kangana Ranaut has insulted not just the whole nation but also martyrdom of countless Indians

These words from an artist who played Manikarnika are shocking!
I wonder if there is any cure/medicine for her stupid blabbering@ANI @TimesNow pic.twitter.com/W5L7ihzz3m

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) November 11, 2021

The RSS could never accept the fact that their British masters were forced to leave in 1947. Their slavery knew no bounds. No wonder they didn't hoist the tricolour for half a century.

The return of slavery in 2014 was their 'independence'. Kangana Ranaut is just one of them. pic.twitter.com/GmAkJ6QWPC

— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) November 11, 2021

Kangana Ranaut instead of being thrown behind bars for insulting lakhs of martyrs and individuals who fought for our countries freedom and calling the freedom of our country "bheek" has been awarded with the Padma Shri by the Modi Govt,is there an iota of Nationalism in this ?

— Syed Arshad (@syedarshad_inc) November 11, 2021

Congress politician Sanjay Nirupam said that the actress should tender an apology.

He tweeted in Hindi: “Kangana Ranaut has been stupid again. She said that we got freedom in alms while the real freedom came in 2014 after Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister. This is an insult to our freedom fighters. Then why is the Modi government celebrating the 75th anniversary of Independence? The actress should apologise to the nation.”

कंगना रनौत ने फिर बेवक़ूफ़ी की है।
कहा है कि आजादी हमें भीख में मिली और असली आज़ादी 2014 में मिली,मोदी के आने के बाद।
यह हमारे स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों का अपमान है।
फिर मोदी सरकार आज़ादी की 75वीं वर्षगाँठ क्यों मना रही है ?
हिरोइन को देश से माफ़ी माँगनी चाहिए।pic.twitter.com/FzxdtyRPDa

— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) November 11, 2021

Her statement about India’s freedom has left many people outraged as it appears to ignore the sacrifices made by the real freedom fighters. What they managed to achieve -- national freedom from British Rule -- is a matter of pride for every Indian.

People generally regard the freedom fighters highly and strongly believe it is because of their indescribable struggle against British rule that Indians today live in a free country.

A section of social media users reacted strongly to her remark and some even demanded that she have her Padma Shri award withdrawn for insulting the freedom fighters. A few said that she should be arrested for sedition.

Kangana must be booked against Sedition and Treason charges.

This is an insult to Independent India as well as an insult to Gandhiji, Nehru, Abulkalam, Patel etc.. https://t.co/hXMfQ63wG3

— . (@OfficialMohd1) November 11, 2021

I urge Honourable President to strip #KanganaRanaut off the #PadmaShri award for insulting the freedom fighters and the freedom movement of our country at the #TimesNowSummit2021
Sheer mockery of #AazadiKaAmrutMahotsav by @TimesNow @navikakumar https://t.co/nx7Pj61yOc

— Netta D'Souza (@dnetta) November 11, 2021

A user said: “Which quality of drugs do you take Kangana Ranaut? Only the slaves of Britishers can dare to insult the bravehearts who fought for the freedom of India.”

कौनसी क्वालिटी का नशा करतीं हैं आप #KanganaRanaut
आज़ादी आंदोलन के उन सभी वीर सपूतों का अपमान करने की हिम्मत अंग्रेजों के वो गुलाम ही कर सकते हैं जिन्हें आज़ादी नहीं गुलामी पसंद थी।

— Kusum B Meena (#ISupportFarmers) (@tribal_LadyKusi) November 11, 2021

People don't blame Kangana Ranaut. This is Modi regime speaking from her mouth and regime's media Times Now is providing her the platform. Words used by Kangana cannot be said on any media without the consent of media channel owners & approval of regime.

— Sanjeev_Kumar (@kevin_global) November 11, 2021

Shameful and Thoughtless statement, Isn't this an insult of the thousands of freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country??#KanganaRanaut
Kangana will be the 2nd topper in WhatsApp University because First is Ruchika Pathak!! pic.twitter.com/XOYqoG9K8Z

— Aashcharya Chaurasia🇮🇳 (@Aashcharya4) November 11, 2021

According to local media reports, the national executive chairman of the Aam Aadmi Party Preethi Menon has filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police seeking a First Information Report (FIR) against the actress for her seditious remarks.

Submitted an application to @MumbaiPolice requesting action on Kangana Ranaut for her seditious and inflammatory statements on @TimesNow, under sections 504, 505 and 124A.
Hope to see some action @CPMumbaiPolice @DGPMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/9WxFXJFnEn

— Preeti Sharma Menon (@PreetiSMenon) November 11, 2021

Ranaut's Brushes With Controversy

The actress, who takes pride in being a nationalist, has proved a dab hand at stoking controversies in the past.

In January, on the anniversary of the death of Indian freedom struggle icon Mahatma Gandhi, Ranaut triggered a controversy when she glorified his assassin Nathuram Godse. She had said that there always are "three sides" to every story.

Earlier this year, Twitter permanently suspended her account for "repeated violations of Twitter rules”. This came after the actress posted a series of tweets on the alleged violence that took place in the Indian state of West Bengal after the assembly election results were declared.

Before being permanently suspended, her account was briefly suspended when she posted a tweet referring to the controversy surrounding Aam Aadmi Party Preethi Menon