Mumbai: Political slugfest continues over Kangana Ranaut’s departure
The Congress and the NCP criticised Ranaut for her studied silence about the alleged drug nexus in Bollywood. The BJP questioned the Maharashtra government for allowing her to leave Mumbai
Political parties are engaged in a slanging match after actor Kangana Ranaut left Mumbai for her hometown Manali in Himachal Pradesh (HP) on Monday.
Ranaut is locked in a bitter war of words with the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government, comprising the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress, over actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death probe.
The Congress and the NCP criticised Ranaut for her studied silence about the alleged drug nexus in Bollywood. The Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party, questioned the Maharashtra government for allowing her to leave Mumbai.
“When she says that she has the information about the Bollywood drug mafia, she should have ideally gone to the Mumbai NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) office and recorded her statement. Instead she is going back to Manali,” said Sachin Sawant, a spokesperson for the Congress.
Sawant said two inferences could be drawn from her radio silence. “Either, she is not disclosing the fact that in itself is a crime, or she has made up a story,” he added.
The NCP criticised Ranaut for driving her own personal agenda. “She is defaming Mumbai because she plans to join politics. It is sad that she is defaming Mumbai, which has given her everything,” said Nawab Malik, who belongs to the NCP and also a minister in the MVA coalition government.
“That’s alright, she has only this work now (to make statements against Mumbai). The people can clearly see her love for Mumbai through these statements. Mumbaikars will now decide whether she can live in Mumbai or not after she equated Mumbai with Pakistan occupied Kashmir. She has got a dual personality. She’s an actor too. Whatever script she’s given, she will say those lines… journalists should investigate who has given her the script,” Shiv Sena minister Anil Parab said, reacting to Ranaut’s statement.
The BJP criticised the MVA coalition government for Ranaut’s departure from Mumbai.
“Home minister Anil Deshmukh had said Maharashtra Police would investigate the allegations that Ranaut used to consume drugs. Was she investigated? How come the state government allowed her to leave Mumbai in the first place without questioning her?” asked Atul Bhatalkar, a BJP member in the Maharashtra legislative assembly (MLA).
Ranaut tweeted that she was leaving Mumbai with a heavy heart.
