Kangana Ranaut plays defiant card, asks which war took place in 1947
New Delhi(PTI): Under attack for describing India's Independence as "bheek", a combative Kangana Ranaut on Saturday asked which war took place in 1947 and said she would return her Padma Shri and apologise too if anyone could answer her question.
The actor, known for her provocative and often inflammatory statements, posted a series of questions on Instagram, also bringing in partition as well as Mahatma Gandhi and alleging that he let Bhagat Singh die and did not support Subhas Chandra Bose.
She shared a passage from a book quoting freedom fighters, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Aurobindo Ghosh and Bipin Chandra Pal, and said she knew about the "collective fight for freedom of 1857 but nothing about a war in 1947.
"Just to set the records (sic) straight... 1857 first collective fight for freedom along with sacrifice of greats like Subhash Chandra Bose, Rani Laxmibai and Veer Savarkar ji.
"...1857 I know but which war took place in 1947 I am not aware, if someone can bring to my awareness I will give back my Padma Shri and apologise also please help me with this (sic)," the 34-year-old actor wrote in a lengthy post in English in her Instagram Stories.
Ranaut had kicked off a major row with her comments at an event organised by a news channel on Wednesday evening, declaring that India attained "real freedom" in 2014, when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, and saying Independence in 1947 was "bheek", or alms.
The controversial statement, two days after she was presented the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind, led to outrage from several quarters, including politicians from across the spectrum, historians, academics, fellow actors and others, with many saying she should return her award.
On Saturday, she kept up the discussion.
Referring to her 2019 period movie "Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi", in which she played the role of freedom fighter Rani Lakshmi Bai, the actor said she had done extensive research on the 1857 struggle.
"... nationalism rose so did right wing... but why it died a sudden death? And why Gandhi let Bhagat Singh die... why Neta Bose was killed and never got Gandhi ji's support? why line of partition was drawn by a white man... ?instead of celebrating freedom why Indians killed each other some of the answers I am seeking please help me find answers (sic)," she asked.
Saying that the British had looted India to the point of saturation , she went on to claim that even a small fight by the INA would have got us freedom and Bose could have been prime minister.
"Why freedom was placed in the begging bowl of congress when right wing was prepared to fight and take it... Can someone please help me understand (sic)," she wrote.
The ever defiant Ranaut went on to say she would return her Padma Shri if anyone could help her find answers to the questions and could prove that she had disrespected martyrs and freedom fighters.
The actor also clarified the part of her statement where she said the country gained "freedom in 2014".
"As far as Aazadi in 2014 concerned I specifically said physical Aazadi we may have but consciousness and conscience of India was set free in 2014... a dead civilisation came alive and fluttered its wings and now roaring and soaring high...
Leaders from the BJP are among those who have demanded action against the actor.
In Jodhpur, the Mahila Congress filed a complaint against her on Friday. In Indore, a group of freedom fighters set on fire an effigy of the actor, demanded an apology and submitted a memorandum at the Indore divisional commissioner's office. And in Mumbai, NSUI workers held a protest outside her home.
Political leaders, including BJP MP Varun Gandhi, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, are among the host of people who criticised Ranaut for her statement.
"#KanganaRanaut may think India got Independence in 2014 but this cannot be endorsed by any true Indian. This is an insult to millions of freedom fighters who gave up their lives so that present generations can live a life of self-respect & dignity as free citizens of a democracy," Times Now said on Twitter on Friday. PTI RB MIN
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
