Delhi BJP demands action against Kangana's controversial remarks on independence

New Delhi: Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor on Friday condemned Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's statement describing India's Independence in 1947 as 'bheek' or alms.

Shankar fumed that it was an insult to the freedom fighters' sacrifices and demanded action against her.

Kapoor tweeted, "Being the son of a freedom fighter and coming from the family of freedom fighters, Kangna Ranaut statement that India's independence was given in bheek, I find it the biggest misuse of freedom (of speech) and an insult to the sacrifice of freedom fighters," he tweeted in Hindi.

I wish the judicial system of India takes cognisance, he added in his tweet. Kapoor said what she said was bad and if there is any provision, then the law must take action.

He noted that every freedom fighter's family feels hurt by the statement and noted Ranaut's statements as the biggest misuse of freedom of speech.

Talking about India's freedom movement, Kangana has recently said that India got its actual freedom in 2014, apparently referring to Narendra Modi becoming the prime minister. Answering a question on Veer Savarkar, Kangana said the Congress is an extension of the British. The actor said the country got 'bheek' in 1947 and the real freedom came in 2014.

Ranaut's video went viral on social media with several people strongly criticising what the actor had said.

Congress on Thursday said her remarks amounted to "treason" and demanded the government take back the Padma Shri conferred on her recently as she has "insulted" the country's Independence movement.

Reacting to Kangana's remarks, Congress' senior spokesperson Anand Sharma termed the comments "shocking and outrageous". "Ms Kangana Ranaut's statement heaping insult on the courageous freedom fighters led by Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Sardar Patel but also belittling the sacrifices of revolutionaries like Sardar Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad and several others," he said in a series of tweets.

Sharma had urged President Ram Nath Kovind to immediately take back the Padma award given to Kangana. Psychiatric evaluation should be carried out before giving such awards so that such persons do not dishonour the nation and its heroes, the former Union minister said.

Earlier, BJP MP Varun Gandhi had also come out strongly against Ranaut's statement.