BJP MP Kangana Ranaut and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
PTI File Photos
New Delhi: Congress on Monday asked BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut to apologise, failing which they said they will take legal action against her for accusing Himachal Pradesh govt of diverting flood relief funds to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The actor turned politician, who has previously been warned by her party for her comments, stirred another controversy by praising PM Modi for “transcending human limitations” to work round the clock.
Congress leader from Himachal, state minister Vikramaditya Singh challenged Ranaut to prove her comments. “I openly challenge BJP MP Kangana Ranaut to show proof of even a rupee being diverted to Sonia Gandhi or apologise to the Congress leader for making such baseless and unwarranted allegations against her. Otherwise, the Congress will file a defamation case against her," Singh said.
On Sunday, Ranaut had said that the Congress government in the state took loans to give money to Sonia Gandhi, due to which the state was facing financial instability. “If we (Centre) give disaster funds, it goes to the CM Relief Fund but everyone knows that it goes to the Sonia relief fund from there," Kangana had said during a party programme in Manali.
Singh also told reporters that it is “unfortunate” that Ranaut was not very educated in such matters. “We all know that funds from the Centre and state development funds are spent through line of credit, draft and overdraft facilities,” he said.
Ranaut’s comments have time and again landed her in a controversy. In August, the BJP issued a statement asking Ranaut to refrain from making comments on behalf of the party. “The statement given by BJP MP Ms Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers' movement is not the opinion of the party. Bharatiya Janata Party disagrees with the statement of Ms. Kangana Ranaut. On behalf of the party, Ms. Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor allowed to make statements,” the party had said in response to a comment by her where she said that farmers were ready to make a Bangladesh-like situation in India.