Kinnar Akhada chief flays Kangana’s remark on India’s independence
PRAYAGRAJ: The controversy over the statement of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut regarding the country’s independence is refusing to die down. Kangana, in a statement, had said that ‘India got independence in 2014.’
Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhada, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, who reached Prayagraj on Monday, termed the actress’ statement as wrong and said that she should apologise to the country and take back her statement.
The head of the monastic order of transgender seers further said that such a statement regarding the independence of the country is an insult to democracy and the constitution.
“So many great freedom fighters of the country have shed their blood, participated in the Satyagraha and sacrificed everything they had so that the country could be freed from the slavery of the British. Thus, the statement of film actress Kangana Ranaut is an insult to the freedom fighters,” she said. She also said that everyone has freedom of speech in a democracy, and political rhetoric can also be made but the independence of the country cannot be compared with the government of any political party formed in 2014.
She said that since 2014 till now, there is the BJP government in the country which is a welcome happening and the same stands for the governments formed since the independence of the country.
Tripathi said that it is not proper to speak poorly in respect of the freedom of the country. She termed this statement of Kangana Ranaut as ‘sedition’ and said that no one has the right to make such statements for publicity.
“Everyone had fought for the freedom struggle together, whether they belonged to the Congress or Sangh, besides those who followed the Left ideology or identifying themselves with the right-wing. Everyone had an equal contribution in this,” said Tripathi.
Further, Tripathi said the Kinnar Akhada welcomes bringing back the statue of ‘Maa Annapurna’ from Canada after 108 years. The statue was installed near Baba Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi today. Tripathi said that Kinnar akhara welcomes such efforts and the British Museum is full of artefacts associated with our religion and heritage. Likewise, there are many idols that are still in foreign museums, and the same should also be brought back, Tripathi said.