Bollywood actress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut has stirred controversy by requesting individuals from her Mandi constituency to carry their Aadhaar Cards when meeting her. The ‘Queen’ actress has also instructed those interested in meeting her to jot down the purpose of the meeting on a piece of paper.
Ranaut explained that due to the high volume of tourists and non-locals visiting her office, she has decided to enforce this regulation. She assured that she will always be accessible to meet with constituents at a designated dialogue center while she is in Mandi – the constituency in Himachal Pradesh that she represents in the Lok Sabha.
“Himachal Pradesh is a popular tourist destination, hence it is essential to possess an Aadhaar card from the Mandi region. Additionally, please outline the nature of your constituency-related business in the letter to avoid any inconvenience,” Ranaut informed journalists during her visit to Mandi.
On July 11, during a public interaction, Ranaut emphasized that her responsibility as an MP is to focus on national-level concerns rather than local panchayat or assembly issues. She encouraged individuals to only bring forth problems that are within her jurisdiction as a Member of Parliament, in order to ensure that her efforts are concentrated on broader and more influential matters.
Congress reacts
Kangana Ranaut’s controversial directive has ignited a political dispute. Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh criticized Kangana Ranaut for urging the residents of her parliamentary constituency to bring their Aadhaar card if they want to meet her. Singh emphasized that it is not appropriate for a public representative to make such demands from the people.
Kangana Ranaut emerged victorious against Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Mandi. Singh currently serves as the PWD minister in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh. The incident involving Kangana Ranaut being allegedly slapped by a CISF personnel at Chandigarh Airport made headlines last month. Recently, a social media post indicated that the CISF constable, Kulwinder Kaur, who was accused of slapping Ranaut, has been reinstated at Bengaluru airport.