Kangana Ranaut Sparks Another 'Not BJP's Stand' Moment With 'No To Caste Census' Remark

BJP Mandi MP and actor Kangana Ranaut has triggered another row after she said that caste census should not be conducted at all. The BJP has distanced itself again from her views.

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has stoked another controversy just days after her remarks on the farmers' protest landed her in trouble. This time, her rejection of the demand for a caste census has sparked a row with the Bharatiya Janata Party distancing itself from her stance once again. Referring to Kangana Ranaut's remarks, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said that her views should be considered BJP's official stand and claimed that the party would never conduct a caste census.

In an interview with news channel News24, Ranaut was asked if there should be a caste census. To this, she replied: "Not at all". Following this, BJP distanced itself from her views and said that it would conduct the caste census if need arises. BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan said: "The home minister has said that if a need arises, we will do a caste based census. So Kangana’s assertion does not reflect the party’s stand." 

BJP Is Against Caste Census & Will Not Conduct It At All: Congress

Meanwhile, Congress chairperson of social media and digital platforms Supriya Shrinate lashed out at the PM Modi-led government over the BJP MP's stance, asserting that the party does not want to conduct census, which has been made clear by Ranaut's statement. "For how long will BJP snatch the rights of Dalits, tribals and backward classes?" she questioned.

Shrinate posted a video on X where she claimed that the BJP is "strictly against" conducting caste census. "BJP will not get a caste census conducted and is strictly against it. And these are not my words but that of the BJP’s elected representative Kangana Ranaut… We saw how a BJP MP has made the party’s stand clear on the issue," she said.

Stressing that Ranaut's views be seen as BJP's "official stand", Shrinate said that Ranaut, who was reprimanded by the party over her remarks on farmers' protest, didn't seem to be affected by the schooling.

"So far the BJP has been trying to avoid the issue and would criticise others but this episode has clearly shown the BJP does not want to conduct a caste-based census," Shrinate said.

Referring to the recent controversy, the Congress leader said: "We all know she has already been reprimanded by the party for her comments on the farmers’ agitation because Haryana elections are just round the corner. And then she made a comment on the caste census. Why shouldn’t her views be seen as the official stand of the BJP?"

Towards the end of the video, Shrinate said that the BJP had made its intent clear during the Lok Sabha polls by doing away with reservation. "It’s okay. The next Prime Minister of India will get it done (caste census)," she added.

Earlier this week, Kangana Ranaut was rebuked by the BJP for saying that a Bangladesh-like crisis could have happened in India during the farmers' protest over the farm reform laws. She had also said that there were "bodies hanging and rapes taking place" during the farmers' protest. 

BJP had distanced itself from her views clarifying that she wasn't permitted or authorised to speak on the party's behalf. After being reprimanded for her remarks, Kangana Ranaut had said that she would choose her words carefully in future.