Congress’s social media in-charge Supriya Shrinate’s now deleted post containing objectionable remarks about actor Kangana Ranaut, who is going to contest her maiden election from Mandi Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh, has triggered a political maelstrom, with the Congress acting defensively while the BJP increasing the heat with mulling legal action against Ms. Shrinate.
On Monday, minutes after social media post went viral, Ms. Shrinate posted a video issuing clarification. “Many people have access to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Someone from them made an extremely inappropriate post today. As soon as I came to know, I deleted that post. Everyone who knows me also knows very well that I can never make personal and indecent comments towards any woman. I wanted to know how this happened,” she said.
Further, the Congress leader mentioned that some parody account on X had made this objectionable post.
“I came to know that my name is being misused on Twitter and a parody account is being operated, named Supriya parody. They made this objectionable post. Someone copied it from there and posted it on my Instagram and Facebook accounts. I am trying to know who has done this from those who have access. I have also reported this parody,” Ms. Shrinate added.
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Meanwhile, Ms. Ranaut hit back saying that she had played various roles in movies and every woman deserved dignity. “We must free our daughters from the shackles of prejudices, we must rise above the curiosity about their body parts and above all we must refrain from using sex workers challenging lives or circumstances as some kind of abuse or slur... every woman deserves her dignity...,” she posted on X.
The slanging match continued on Wednesday, as Ms. Shrinate’s clarification cut little ice. Ms. Ranaut is expected to reach Delhi on Wednesday evening to meet BJP president J.P. Nadda.
NCW chief asks Sonia to take action
Meanwhile, National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma has urged Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to “take action” against two of its leaders for using “derogatory” language against another woman. She said the commission has written to the Election Commission of India seeking “stringent action against the party and the leader.”
BJP leader Shazia Illmi exhorted Ms. Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to suspend Ms. Shrinate for her derogatory post. BJP leader Shaina NC has said that it is time to fight stereotypes. She asked, “Why can’t a woman who comes from the film fraternity or the fashion fraternity or any other profession join active public life.” BJP’s senior leader and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said that the party was mulling legal action against Ms. Shrinate.
The Congress is yet to officially respond on a rather difficult position that it finds itself in. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday called Ms. Ranaut the “daughter of Himachal” amid the backlash. “She [Kangana Ranaut] is the daughter of Himachal. Her parents live here. Her father was made the General Secretary of Congress in Mandi...,” he told reporters in Shimla. Ms. Shrinate’s colleague Pawan Khera strongly defended her. In a post on X he said, “Anybody who has known my colleague @SupriyaShrinate will vouch for the fact that she can never resort to such objectionable language ever.”
