Ranaut’s Controversy Deepens as She Targets Media, Locks Horns with CJP

New Delhi: Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday doubled down on her caustic comments against the recent student agitation, using terms like "femi-Nazis" and "gutter chaap" to describe Gen Z protesters and taking on the Cockroach Janta Party in a sharp, unpleasant exchange of words.

Ranaut, known for making provocative comments, has sparked a massive row with a series of posts and media bites targeting the CJP spearheaded protests over exam irregularities. She has called Gen Z "generation gutter", described their reels as "puke inducing" and asked who "is birthing and raising them", landing at the centre of controversy with opposition MPs and others lashing out at her.

In an Instagram selfie video today, the MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh singled out the media for attacking her.

"I asked them not to normalise the 'gutter chaap', unethical and filthy behaviour of some protesters who were doing it on the streets in front of children, elders, and women. We do not accept this in this society.

"We do not want our children to be sexualized and feel embarrassed in front of our elders. We do not accept this kind of behaviour," she said.

Ranaut also brought in Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the discussion and said some protesters had used abusive language against him.

"People call the prime minister an exam buddy… Some consider him as a leader. Some consider him as a friend. Some consider him as a family member. Some consider him god.

"In the same way, you cannot hurt anyone's feelings. This is not being cool. This is a basic civic sense. And if you don't know this, you will have to learn. Don't be influenced by these femi-Nazis and ruin your life," she said.

Tagging a woman anchor who had objected to her statements on X, Ranaut said in a graphic post on X that she should go out on to the streets and demonstrate her "freedom to hurl abuses and strip off clothes".

The post added another dimension to the escalating controversy over the remarks of the actor-politician often termed controversy's favourite child.

The barbs between CJP spokesperson Saurav Das and Ranaut have been going on for the last two days -- and counting.

Referring to her epithets about Gen Z, Das said her language was unbecoming and questioned her mental stability while accusing her of trying to "ride the CJP wave".

"These words don't seem to be of a person who is mentally stable because you wouldn't use this kind of language about the young. If there is a young person in your family who belongs to Gen Z or Gen Alpha or whatever, would you use such language against them?" he told PTI Videos.

Das also took a swipe at Ranaut's performance as a parliamentarian.

"I don't have much to say about Kangana Ranaut, her own party members don't take her seriously," he said.

"It's fine, I think she is trying to ride the CJP wave. We said this before, anybody who wants to take credit or fame from the current movement, they are free to do so and so is Kangana," Das added.

The "Queen" actor was equally scathing and dismissed him as "totally useless and unemployed".

"I just Googled this person and he is 28 years old. And he claims to be a student. How he claims to be a student I have no clue!!" she wrote in her Instagram Stories on Tuesday night while sharing a video of Das' remarks.

Hitting back at Das' criticism of her work as an MP, Ranaut said she may be new to politics but had been in public life for the past 20 years.

"At his age, I had two National Awards. Yes, as a new parliamentarian, I was overwhelmed with all the work because I am also a filmmaker, performing artist, producer, screenwriter, and entrepreneur. But someone like him, who is totally useless and unemployed, will never understand what it means to be in massive demand at all times, at any age," she said.

Ranaut went on to say that Das' issues are personal.

Her remarks have drawn criticism from opposition leaders, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party and AIMIM, as well as several social media users, who termed the comments insensitive and derogatory.

"She herself is a member of Parliament and she should not be using such language. Gen Z is the future of this country... and when Gen Z takes to the streets, asks questions and speaks up for its rights, they get answers through a dialogue and not be insulted," Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj told PTI.

Fellow actor Sonu Sood said, "If she has said this (terms such as 'gutter generation'), then it is very shameful. She should not have said this. You should always think before you speak. People are the second form of god."

The CJP-led protests, which began in Jantar Mantar on June 20 ended on July 25, after the government accepted key demands of the agitators, including the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.