Kangana in legal trouble from Sikh body for her Farmers' tweet; Singers rally behind Diljit Dosanjh
Mumbai, Dec 4: It was Kangana Ranaut versus not just Diljit Dosanjh but several other Punjabi artistes as well as the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on Friday with the actor's comments against an elderly participant in farmers' protest leading to a bitter war of words and demands for an apology.
Ranaut, who made headlines with her ugly spat with Dosanjh on Twitter, was served a legal notice on Friday by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee which is seeking an unconditional apology from the actor.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee President Maninder Sirsa said Ranaut's tweets tried to portray farmers protest as "anti-national" and were derogatory against the aged mother of a farmer.
This is the second legal notice against the actor, who has already been served a legal notice by a lawyer from Punjab's Zirakpur town on December 2 over her tweet.
Prominent singers and artistes from Punjab, including Mika Singh, Ammy Virk and Jazzy B, meanwhile, have also criticised Ranaut while backing Dosanjh for his war of words with Ranaut.
Dosanjh had taken Ranaut to task for misidentifying the woman farmer as Bilkis Bano, a septuagenarian who had attracted international attention for her participation in the anti-CAA protests earlier this year at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh neighbourhood. He had shared a BBC interview that identified the woman farmer as Mahinder Kaur.
Ranaut had shared a tweet on November 27, alleging that the ''Shaheen Bagh dadi'' also joined the farmers' agitation over the new laws at various border points of the national capital.
She retweeted the post with pictures of two elderly women, including Bilkis Bano, and wrote that the "same Dadi" who featured in Time Magazine was "available in 100 rupees", a comment that has particularly irked the members of the Punjabi community.
The actor had reportedly deleted the tweet when Twitter users had pointed out about her mistake but it had already sparked a major controversy.
Singer Mika Singh said he regrets supporting Ranaut when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) undertook demolition of the illegal alterations at the actor's Bandra bungalow in September.
The "Singh is King" singer said Ranaut should apologise for her remarks against an elderly Punjabi woman.
"I used to have immense respect for @KanganaTeam, I even tweeted in support when her office was demolished. I now think I was wrong, Kangana being a woman you should show the old lady some respect. If you have any etiquette then apologise. Shame on you," Singh tweeted.
I used to have immense respect for @KanganaTeam, I even tweeted in support when her office was demolished. I now think I was wrong, Kangana being a woman you should show the old lady some respect. If you have any ettiquete then apologise. Shame on you.. pic.twitter.com/FqKzE4mLjp
— King Mika Singh (@MikaSingh) December 3, 2020
Singer Jaswinder Singh Bains, popularly known by his stage name Jazzy B, also criticised Ranaut for her remarks.
"She is just dumb. Goddi media di chamchi ohnu pata ni punjabia di battery charge reh di ah. (She's a puppet of the sold media, who isn't aware that Punjabis are always charged). Shame on you @KanganaTeam," the singer tweeted.
She is just dumb? goddi media di chamchi ohnu pata ni punjabia di battery charge reh di ah ⭐️ shame on you @KanganaTeam https://t.co/9l1GKjo2Jd
— Jazzy B (@jazzyb) December 3, 2020
Another singer Jaswinder Singh Dhami, known by his stage name Jaz Dhami, called Ranaut an "attention seeker", saying it was not civil of the actor to insult a citizen protesting for her rights.
"I used to have respect for @KanganaTeam for the way she came out and spoke up. But now I realise you're just a deeply narrow-minded, attention seeking puppet!"
I used to have respect for @KanganaTeam for the way she came out and spoke up. But now I realize you're just a deeply narrowminded, attention seeking puppet! You had some BULSHIT wall taken down and was crying because it hit your pocket and hurt your ego.
— JAZ DHAMI (@THEJAZDHAMI) December 3, 2020
Virk took to Twitter and shared a funny, edited video, with visuals of Ranaut and Dosanjh's films, where the "Queen" star is shown to regret fighting with the Punjabi actor.
@diljitdosanjh ??? pic.twitter.com/auEmHonntE
— Ammy Virk (@AmmyVirk) December 3, 2020
Ranaut had called Dosanjh filmmaker Karan Johar's "pet", a bootlicker and asked if he wasn't ashamed of defending somebody who instigated the Delhi riots earlier this year.
She also said her comments were directed towards Bilkis Bano and not Mahinder Kaur, someone she said she didn't even know.
Not one to back down, Dosanjh, who shot to national fame with the 2016 drug drama "Udta Punjab", in turn asked if she was a sycophant of everyone she has worked with. "Then the list will be long," he said.
The "Udta Punjab" actor also found support with Bollywood celebrities, who lauded him for his conduct.
"Lipstick Under My Burkha" director Alankrita Shrivastava said Dosanjh "won" her heart.
"Thank you @diljitdosanjh You give me hope. Dil jeet litta," Shrivastava tweeted.
Thank you @diljitdosanjh You give me hope. Dil jeet litta!
— Alankrita Shrivastava (@alankrita601) December 3, 2020
Comedian Vir Das took to Twitter and wrote, "Hey @diljitdosanjh just wanted to say you rock. That's all."
Actor Richa Chadha tweeted that no one should fight with a Punjabi.
"Seriously, tussi saareyan nu public interest vichon daas ne aa, punjabiyan naal lado ni please (Seriously, I say this in public interest, please do not fight with a Punjabi)," her tweet read.
Hey @diljitdosanjh just wanted to say you rock. That's all. ?
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) December 4, 2020
Seriously, tussi saareyan nu public interest vichon daas ne aa , pubjabiyan naal lado ni plz
— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) December 3, 2020
Actors Swara Bhasker and Taapsee Pannu also spoke up on the issue.
Dosanjh's replies in Punjabi gave way to several memes, and jokes on social media. Many social media users also requested friends to translate his witty comebacks.
Comedian Saloni Gaur uploaded a sketch, mimicking Ranaut's struggle to understand Punjabi, which was then shared by Dosanjh on his page.
Ranaut later tweeted she supports farmers and has been vocal about their "exploitation and problems" and was certain that the government will address their doubts.
Thousands of farmers have gathered at Delhi's gateways to demand a repeal of the Centre's three new farm laws.
The protesting farmers are worried the new laws will eliminate the safety cushion of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) and procurement system, while rendering ineffective the mandi system that ensures earnings for various stakeholders in the farm sector.
The farmers, who have called for a Bharat Bandh on Tuesday, fear the new farm laws will dismantle the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporates.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
ALSO READ: Cong candidate who moved Kerala HC for name reinstatement in voter list, wins
Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
