Kangana Ranaut Insults Elderly Flood Victim in Mandi

Mandi: A disturbing video showing BJP Member of Parliament (MP) and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut forcing an 80-year-old man to kneel and plead for assistance has sparked widespread outrage across India.

The incident took place in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, during Kangana’s visit to flood-hit areas as part of her first public grievance redressal meeting since being elected to Parliament. The elderly man, reportedly a flood victim, approached the MP seeking support for rehabilitation and aid.

In the video, the man is seen kneeling on the ground, hands folded, speaking emotionally. Instead of helping him up or responding compassionately, Kangana appears to cut him off, stating:

The BJP MP is also seen gesturing dismissively with her foot toward the elderly man as he continues to speak.

Kangana, who only entered politics in 2024 and won her seat from Mandi in the Lok Sabha elections, has since defended her comments. She said she was being realistic about her limited jurisdiction, and emphasized that district-level issues fall under state administration, not Parliament.

Political opponents and civil society leaders have demanded a public apology from Kangana, stating that a member of Parliament must show basic human decency, regardless of their administrative powers.

So far, the BJP leadership has not issued a formal statement regarding the incident.

Himachal Pradesh has been reeling under severe floods and landslides for weeks, leaving thousands displaced. Relief efforts have been slow, with several affected people, especially in rural regions like Mandi, struggling to receive adequate government support.

Kangana’s visit was initially welcomed by locals hoping for central intervention, but the incident has now overshadowed her presence, creating political embarrassment for the BJP.

This isn’t the first time Kangana Ranaut has come under fire for her words or actions in public life — even before entering politics.

During the massive farmer protests against the now-repealed farm laws (2020–2021), Kangana repeatedly mocked and maligned protesting farmers, labelling them as “terrorists” and “paid protesters.”

In one infamous tweet (later deleted by X for misinformation), she falsely claimed that an elderly Sikh farmer protesting at Delhi’s borders was “a hired actor” being paid Rs. 100 for media appearances — a statement that invited legal notices and widespread condemnation.

Kangana also made incendiary comments about the women-led anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi. She described the protesters as “puppet grandmothers” and alleged that they were being funded by “anti-national elements.”

Civil rights groups and women's organisations sharply criticised her for demonising elderly women who were exercising their constitutional right to protest.

Kangana Ranaut’s recent incident in Mandi is a broader pattern: a politician who lacks empathy and engages more in preformative nationalism than constructive leadership.

As of now, no formal apology or clarification has been released by Kangana Ranaut’s office. Protests are being planned in some parts of Mandi, and opposition leaders are expected to raise the matter in Parliament.