New Delhi: An effigy of Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut sparked a bizarre contest between the police and protesters who were agitating against Mandi MP’s controversial comments on the farmers. Even as the cops tried to snatch the effigy from a group of demonstrators, the protesters put up a stiff resistance. The incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur on Wednesday. A video of it has also emerged.
It all started when the members of the Joint Kisan Morcha of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lokhit) planned to burn the effigy of Ranaut on a busy street. As the police pulled away the effigy from their car, chaos ensued. In the video, the cops can be seen being surrounded by the protesters and an officer heckling one of them. Another cop snatches the effigy and runs away with it.
Things didn’t stop here. The farmer leaders wanted the effigy back from the cops. So, they staged a sit-in causing traffic to come to a standstill on the Delhi-Lucknow road in Hapur.
Hapur :
हापुड़ में कंगना का किसानों ने दूसरा पुतला तैयार कर फुकने का किया प्रयास, पुलिस और किसानों की हुई पुतले को लेकर छिनाझपटी, पुलिसकर्मी दूसरा पुतला किसानों से छीनकर भागे. @hapurpolice @KanganaTeam #Hapur #KanganaRanaut #HapurPolice pic.twitter.com/CTr1rRmFUr
— Tricity Today (@tricitytoday) August 28, 2024
Harish Hoon, national spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union Lokhit, reportedly said that they wanted to torch the effigy and it was a peaceful protest. He added that they believed in the rule of law, the Constitution…”Until we get the effigy back, we will continue the sit-in protest.” The leader lashed out at Ranaut for making “shameful” remarks.
Another effigy was brought by the union leaders at the protest site.
On Monday, the BJP leadership had rebuked Ranaut for her remarks on the farmers’ protest. The Mandi MP’s comments had indicated that the farmers’ protests could have resulted in Bangladesh-like turmoil if the government had not taken strong steps.
Following her comments, the BJP in an official statement said, “The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. BJP disagrees with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut. On behalf of the party, Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on party policy issues.”