Kangana hits back at Uddhav for 'traitor' remark, calls him 'worst product of nepotism'

The battle of words between actor Kangana Ranaut and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government, which began a few weeks ago, continued on Monday (October 26).

Hitting out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for his comments at a rally, Kangana Ranaut called him the “worst product of nepotism” and said her state Himachal Pradesh was the “land of the gods, not ganja fields”.

The actor, who has been vocal about her criticism of the state government’s handling of the investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and labelled Bollywood a drug haven, lashed out against Thackeray a day after his Dussehra address.

Thackeray had said without naming Kangana Ranaut, “People who have no means of livelihood in their home come to Mumbai and betray it. Calling Mumbai PoK is in fact the failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had said he would get back PoK into India.”

“Those crying for justice for Bihar’s son are indulging in character assassination of Maharashtra’s son,” the chief minister said during the Shiva Sena’s annual Dussehra rally on Sunday, breaking his silence on allegations against his son Aaditya Thackeray in the Rajput death case.

Ranaut, known for her provocative statements, hit back with a series of tweets and a video on Twitter, and said Thackeray had abused her in his speech by calling her ‘namak haraam‘.

Message for Maharashtra government… pic.twitter.com/WfxI9EII38

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) October 26, 2020

“As a chief minister, you have let down an entire state only because you are angry with a woman who is of your son’s age. You were very angry with me when I compared Mumbai with (Pok) after I was threatened because slogans of Free Kashmir were raised there. Your Sonia Sena had defended all that, that’s why I had compared it with PoK,” she said in the video.

The actor said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had abused her and now, it was Thackeray. “Sanjay Raut called me haramkhor, now Uddhav called me namak-haram (treacherous). He is claiming I won’t get food in my state if Mumbai does not give me shelter. Shame on you, I am your son’s age. This is how you speak to a self-made single woman. Chief minister, you are the worse product of nepotism,” she said.

Raut called me Haramkhor now Uddhav called me namak haram, he is claiming I won’t get food in my state if Mumbai does not give me shelter, shame on you I am your son’s age this is how you speak to a self made single woman, Chief Minister you are the worse product of nepotism. https://t.co/uV5RCf3R0W

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) October 26, 2020

She also took umbrage at Thackeray’s reference to ganja fields in Himachal Pradesh and said it was actually a ‘dev bhoomi‘, land of the gods.

“What I want to tell you is: governments come and go. You are just a government servant and the people of Maharashtra are not happy with you. Governments come and go but if a person loses respect, he can’t get it back,” she said.

The actor said opportunities that Mumbai offered belong to everyone and both the Himachal Pradesh and Mumbai were her homes.

Just how beauty of Himalayas belongs to every Indian, opportunities that Mumbai offers too belongs to each one of us, both are my homes, Uddhav Thackeray don’t you dare to snatch our democratic rights and divide us, your filthy speeches are a vulgar display of your incompetence..

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) October 26, 2020

Ranaut has been in the headlines for locking horns with the Shiv Sena following Rajput’s death, be it for criticising Mumbai Police over its investigation into the case or lambasting the film industry for alleged drug use.

Ranaut had again compared Mumbai with PoK after the Shiv Sena-led BMC demolished “illegal alterations” at her Bandra bungalow.

She also said the Maharashtra government was trying to put her in jail after a complaint against her at a Mumbai court for “spreading hate and breaking the brotherhood, integrity of the country” through her provocative statements.

(With inputs from agencies)