BJP MP Kangana Ranaut ordered to appear in Bathinda court in defamation case over farmers’ protest remark
PTC Web Desk: Mandi BJP MP and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has received a legal setback from a Bathinda court in Punjab. The court on Monday rejected her plea seeking exemption from personal appearance through video conferencing in a defamation case filed against her during the farmers’ protest.
The court has now directed Kangana Ranaut to appear in person on October 27. The orders will be served to her through the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
The case dates back to 2021, when Kangana Ranaut allegedly made derogatory remarks against 81-year-old woman Mohinder Kaur, a resident of Bathinda. During the protest, she had tweeted that women were participating in the agitation for a payment of Rs 100 each. She had also commented on a photograph of Mohinder Kaur, comparing her with another elderly woman featured in Time magazine, while accusing Pakistani journalists of hijacking India’s image internationally.
In response, Mohinder Kaur filed a defamation case on January 4, 2021. After months of hearing, the Bathinda court issued summons directing the BJP MP to appear. Her petitions for relief were dismissed first by the Punjab and Haryana High Court and later by the Supreme Court.
Reacting to Kangana Ranaut’s remarks in a televised interview, Mohinder Kaur had said: “Kangana does not understand what farming is. She defamed me. Farmers earn their living through sweat and hard work, not through such allegations.” She further rejected the actor’s claim, asking why she would protest for Rs 100 when she had her own fields to tend.
- With inputs from agencies
