BJP MP Kangana Ranaut: Bring Aadhaar card to meet me; Congress reacts

Bollywood actor and newly-elected BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has triggered a political row by asking people who want to meet her constituency in Himachal Pradesh to bring their Aadhaar cards.

The Congress has criticised Kangana, who represents Mandi in the Lok Sabha. She has also told people in her constituency to write a letter about the purpose of their visit to meet her so that they don’t face any inconvenience.

'Himachal has a large number of tourists'

Kangana said this on Thursday (July 11) in Mandi. A day earlier, she had opened her Jan Samvad Kendra.

“As all of you know that a large number of tourists visit Himachal, so bringing Aadhaar of Mandi Parliament constituency to meet me is necessary. Your work related to the constituency should also be written in the letter so that you don't have to face inconvenience,” Kangana told the media at her newly opened office in Mandi Sadar area.

She said people are free to bring any matter to her but if people come with issues of Mandi parliamentary constituency which needs the central government’s attention such as the framing of new policies then she is “the voice of people of Mandi in Parliament”.

What Congress said

Reacting to this, Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh state Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said it was not right to ask people to bring their Aadhaar cards to meet people’s representatives. He also said that if people want to meet him, they “don’t need to bring the Aadhaar card”.

“We are representatives of the people and it is our responsibility to meet people from all sections. Whether it is a small or big work, policy matter, or individual matter, it does not require any identity cards. If people are coming to meet public representatives, they are coming for some work and saying that you need this paper or that is not right,” Vikramaditya, who lost to Kangana in Mandi Lok Sabha polls, said.

“Anyone from anywhere in the state can come and meet me,” he added.