TNR Desk
Actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who is the BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, has stirred a fresh controversy with her recent statement at the Times Now Summit where she referred to Netaji Subash Chandra Bose as India’s first Prime Minister.
In a video clip that has gone viral on social media, Kangana Ranaut highlighted Bose’s roles in the Indian National Congress and the Forward Bloc during the Independence movement. However, her comments faced immediate criticism for historical inaccuracy.
On top of it, the Bollywood actress, who is known for her tryst with controversies in the past, backed her statement with a screenshot from NDTV website. “All those who are giving me gyan on first PM of Bharata do read this screen shot here’s some general knowledge for the beginners, all those geniuses who are asking me to get some education must know that I have written, acted, directed a film called ‘Emergency’, which primarily revolves around the Nehru family so no mansplaining please. If I speak way ahead of your IQ, you assume I must be uninformed, well the joke is on you and it’s a lame one (sic),” she posted on her X handle.
The NDTV article mentioned that “freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, popularly known as Netaji, had on October 21, 2943, formed a government of Azad Hind (Free India) in Singapore and declared himself as the Prime Minister”.
When an X user, Nisha, replied “he declared himself. Do you get it Ma’am”, Kangana retorted: “Who else had to declare him, Mountbatten? Ha ha… you get the joke now.”
One user shared the video snippet and a few memes on X with the caption, “Kangana is new brand ambassador of ‘WhatsApp University’.” Another user shared a video stating, “People of Mandi will have torturous five years if Kangana wins.”
Among those countering Kangana’s claim was Communist leader and former Kanpur MP Subhashini Ali, whose father late Colonel Prem Sehgal himself served as an officer in the Indian National Army, which was led by Netaji and set up by the Japanese to fight the British. “Kangana Ranaut should know that Netaji was the head of the PROVISIONAL GOVT OF AZAD HIND, not of the govt of India (sic),” Subhashini wrote on X.
