FIR against Kangana Ranaut for tweets criticising farmers' protests

The police in Karnataka have filed an FIR against actor Kangana Ranaut for her tweets criticising farmers during their protests against the farm bills that were passed by Parliament. The FIR has been registered as per the direction of a court in Tumakuru.

The police have filed charges under the Indian Penal Code against Ranaut for “promoting enmity” between groups, causing “intentional insult”, making “grave provocation”.

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In one of her tweets, she had accused the protesters of “causing terror” in the country. A lawyer L Ramesh Naik filed a complaint under section 156(3) of the CrPC seeking an investigation against her for the tweets. The judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court in Tumakuru ordered the Kyathasandra police to register the FIR based on the complaint.

“People who spread misinformation and rumours about CAA that caused riots are the same people who are now spreading misinformation about Farmers bill and causing terror in the nation, they are terrorists. You very well know what I said but simply like to spread misinformation,” Ranaut had tweeted on September 21 from her official handle.

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According to Naik, he was forced to file the case as he was hurt by Ranaut’s tweets.

Farmers have been protesting against the three farm bills that were passed in the monsoon session of Parliament, alleging they would pave the way for the government to end the minimum support price for agri products. 

They held a ‘Bharat bandh’ on October 2, blocking highways and railway tracks in many parts of the country, including Punjab, Haryana and Karnataka.