BJP MP Kangana Ranaut
PTI
Chandigarh: The Congress on Monday lashed at BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her controversial remarks on the farmers' protest, with party leaders asking why the BJP harbours such "hatred" toward the country's farmers.
Ranaut recently stoked a controversy by suggesting that the farmers' protests could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation in the country if the top leadership was not strong enough.
In a video shared by the Mandi MP on X, she alleged that bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place during the farmers' protest against the now-repealed three farm laws.
With Haryana going to polls on October 1, the opposition has targeted the ruling BJP over the issue.
The saffron party has also expressed disagreement with its Mandi MP's controversial remarks on the farmers' protest.
Congress general secretary and former Haryana minister Randeep Singh Surjewala latched on to Ranaut's remarks to hit out at BJP.
"Get well soon Kangana! After all, why do BJP people hate the country's 'Annadata' so much? BJP has always lied, deceived, conspired and oppressed our farmers. And once again a BJP MP has made baseless allegations against our 'Annadata'," he said in post in Hindi on X.
"The question is that has Kangana made this cheap allegation on the farmer as per BJP's election strategy? Were these just Kangana's words or did someone else write the script? If not, then why are the prime minister of the country, the chief minister of Haryana and all the BJP MPs and MLAs silent on this issue?" his post added.
Criticising the BJP over the issue, Congress MP Kumari Selja questioned why the party harbours so much "hatred" toward the country's farmers.
"The BJP has always subjected the country's farmers to lies, deceit, conspiracies, and atrocities. Once again, a BJP MP has made baseless allegations against our farmers," Selja said in a statement.
She too asked if Kangana's derogatory remarks against farmers was part of the BJP's poll strategy and her words were written by someone else, demanding a response on the matter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party leadership.
Some farmer leaders claimed that Ranaut has made the remarks only to ensure a successful run of her to-be-released film "Emergency".
Whenever she has no issue, she tries to create an atmosphere in her favour by speaking against Punjab and farmers, but the public already knows the truth and no one takes it seriously anymore, Punjab farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher, Harpreet Singh, Tejveer Singh, Sher Singh and others said in a statement.
Haryana AAP president Sushil Gupta said the BJP hated farmers because they forced them to rollback the "black farm laws".
Ranaut is not the only BJP leader who has made objectionable remarks against farmers, Gupta said.
Her remarks indicate the mindset of BJP towards farmers, he added.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Monday issued a statement over the matter, saying the remark made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers' movement is not the opinion of the party.
The BJP expresses its disagreement with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut, the party said.
On behalf of the BJP, Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on the party's policy issues, it added.
Thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, UP and other places had held an agitation at Delhi's borders for many months over the now repealed farm laws.