New Delhi: Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut claimed that she was physically assaulted and verbally abused by a female CISF constable during a security check at the Chandigarh airport on Thursday. This altercation occurred just two days after Ranaut's election to the Lok Sabha from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.
According to officials, the constable, apparently upset with Ranaut's stance on the farmer protests, has been suspended, and an FIR has been filed against her. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for airport security, has initiated a court of inquiry into the incident.
In a video statement titled “Shocking rise in terror and violence in Punjab,” posted on X after her arrival in Delhi, the "Queen" actor assured her followers that she was safe and unharmed. Recounting the incident, Ranaut explained that the constable approached her and, without provocation, struck her in the face and hurled verbal insults. Ranaut questioned the constable's actions, to which the constable allegedly responded by expressing support for the farmer protests.
Expressing concern over the incident, Ranaut highlighted the increasing terrorism in Punjab and urged for measures to address it.
Another circulating video shows the constable expressing her side of the story, stating that Ranaut had made derogatory remarks about the farmers' protests, which had upset her as her mother was involved in the demonstrations.
The National Commission for Women chairperson, Rekha Sharma, condemned the incident, seeking swift action. Sharma stated that the commission had taken up the matter with the CISF, citing the breach of security protocols at airports.
This incident comes amidst Ranaut's political debut, where she secured a victory over her nearest Congress rival by a significant margin in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Ranaut, a four-time National Award winner, has been a vocal supporter of the ruling party on various issues, including the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the farmer protests.
During the farmer protests, Ranaut faced criticism for allegedly misidentifying a woman farmer from Punjab as Bilkis Bano, an octogenarian who gained international recognition during the anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh, Delhi. Ranaut later deleted the tweet after it was pointed out that she had mistaken the identities of the individuals involved.
