'Real freedom' slur from actress Kangana Ranaut: Cong, AAP urge police to invoke 'treason' charges
Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Nov, 2021 12:26 PM
Mumbai, Nov 12 (IANS) The Maharashtra Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have moved the Mumbai Police demanding action against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for her recent "real freedom" statements that have sparked a nationwide political furore.
State Congress Working President Arif Naseem Khan lodged a complaint with Sakinaka Police Station seeking FIR under charges of treason against Ranaut for her remarks that "India got 'bheekh' (dole) in 1947, the 'real Freedom' came in 2014".
"This clearly tantamounts to treason and charges under the relevant laws must be filed against the actress," said Khan, who was accompanied by several party leaders like Jagdish Amin, M. Sharif Khan, Prabhakar J. and Maya Khot.
Condemning Ranaut, AAP National Executive member Preeti Sharma-Menon has submitted an application to the Andheri Police Station demanding action against the actress for her "seditious and inflammatory" utterances under the relevant laws.
"Thousands of freedom fighters made their supreme sacrifices to liberate the country from the tyranny of British rule. The contributions of stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patil, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Shahid Bhagat Singh and others will always remain immortal," Khan said.
The great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Tushar A. Gandhi labelled Kangana "an agent of hate, intolerance and rabidity" so it is not surprising she feels that India got her 'real freedom' in 2014 (when the BJP government came to power).
"Hatred, bigotry, sham patriotism and oppression were liberated in India in 2014 and a very poisonous and vicious ideology gained dominance, personified by Prime Minister Narendda Modi," Tushar Gandhi said without mincing words.
Besides Congress and AAP, other major state parties like Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party have demanded Ranaut's arrest, stripping her of all the national honours/awards and an apology to the whole country for denigrating the Indian Freedom of 1947 when the country is celebrating the 75th year of Independence.
Senior counsel and former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi and senior counsel Amit Desai, representing Aryan and Arbaaz Merchant, while lawyer Ali Kaashik Khan Deshmukh appeared for Munmun Dhamecha, concluded their argument before Justice N. W. Sambre.
Mumbai NCB arrested Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan in the cruise drug case investigation on October 2. Prabhakar Sail, the 'independent witness', in a statement to the media, claimed that Rs 25 crore was demanded by an official of the NCB and other persons, including absconding witness K.P. Gosavi, to let off Aryan Khan in the case.
Making a forceful plea for bail to Aryan Khan, his lawyer and former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi told the court that the star-son was a special invitee to the ship through event manager Prateek Gaba.
The awards are being presented at the Vigyan Bhawan in the capital. Manoj Bajpayee was awarded the best actor award for his performance in Bhonsle. This his 3rd National Award.
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, who led the cruise drug bust relating to superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan but now faces bribe allegations, reached Delhi on Monday evening but denied that he had been summoned by any agency.
NCB official sources have hinted that there is apparently no evidence of any "drug-related exchanges" in her alleged WhatsApp chats with Aryan Khan - the son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan - who has been arrested in the drugs case and currently in judicial custody till October 30.
