Assam Congress on Thursday lodged an FIR against actor Padmashree Kangana Ranaut for her ‘defamatory’ statement regarding the freedom movement led by ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi.
The FIR was lodged by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) at the Dispur police station in Guwahati.
The signatories of the FIR include Dwijen Sharma, former MP, vice-president, APCC; Romen Chandra Borthakur, general secretary, senior spokesperson, APCC; Bolin Kulin, former MP, executive member, APCC and Nripendra Thakuria, executive member, APCC; Manjit Mahanta, spokesperson, APCC; Mira Borthakur, spokesperson, APCC.
Also read: ‘Madness or treason’? India got real freedom in 2014, says Kangana Ranaut
While referring to a report published in a newspaper, the APCC leaders stated in the FIR that Padmashree Kangana Ranawat criticised the “Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, who devoted his life for getting freedom of India and Indians from the British empire/rules” in worst terms.
Also read: After Twitter ban, two top fashion designers break ties with Kangana Ranaut
Freedom was the birthrights of the people of India which was achieved by the sacrifice of thousands of martyrs, the life of Mahatma Gandhi along with other devotees, who have been declared martyrs for nation-building, the APCC said in its FIR.
“It is a grave insulting towards martyrs to malign the value of the life of the devotees and it is also an act of sedition statements” made by actress Kangana Ranaut, the FIR said.
“The statement has broken the heart of the Indian people as well as freedom fighters of Assam. It is a grave offence of sedition conspiracy to the nation with intention to dishonour the freedom fighters and martyrs of nation builders,” the FIR said.
Saying that it was “highly objectionable and defamatory statement”, the APCC leaders requested the officer-in-charge of Dispur police station to take the necessary action as per law to book the actress immediately.
Bollywood actor and right-winged activist Kangana Ranaut while speaking at the annual summit of a national media networkrecently said: “Woh azaadi nahi thi, woh bheek thi. Aur jo azaadi mili hai woh 2014 mai mili hai (That wasn’t freedom, those were alms. We got real freedom in 2014.)”
She also said: “Either you are a Gandhi fan or Netaji supporter. You can’t be both, choose and decide.”