Ex-MP makes derogatory remarks against Kangana, she says: ‘country will never stop trivialising rape’

The BJP had quickly distanced itself from Ranaut’s comments and made it clear that she is neither permitted nor authorised to comment on the party’s policy matters.

Sharing a video clip of Mann’s interaction with reporters on X, Ranaut said, “It seems this country will never stop trivialising rape”.

“No wonder rapes and violence against women….is so deep rooted in the psyche of this patriarchal nation that it is casually used to tease or mock a woman even if she is a high profile filmmaker or politician,” she said.
Mann’s grandson Govind Singh Sandhu, who is also SAD(A) organisational secretary and handled the senior politician’s campaign in this year’s Lok sabha polls, declined to comment saying he has “not seen the statement yet”.

Haryana State Commission for Women chairperson Renu Bhatia said Mann’s comments were an “insult to our daughters”.

Raj Lali Gill, chairperson of the Punjab State Women Commission, commented that what Ranaut said on farmers’ protest is “shameful” but Mann’s reaction is “even more shameful”.

“It is shocking the way the senior leader has spoken about a woman. How can he say this? I will initiate action against him,” Gill said, adding she will issue a notice after going through the provisions of the law.

As the row escalated, Mann, a proponent of Khalistan, in a post on X, said, “My party and I always stand for the security and safety of women”.

He, however, again trained guns at Ranaut and accused her of leveling false accusations against farmers. “Räpe is a heinous crime…MP from Mandi….seems to derive some form of thrill by spreading misinformation against the Sikhs, farmers and farm labourers. Her concern on crime against women is something she must question her own ruling party about. Equality and safety of our women is totally compromised in India today,” Mann added.

In another post, he raised 1984 riots in Delhi and said, “For 40 years we have had no justice for the crimes committed against Sikh women in Trilokpuri,” he said and added that Ranaut doesn’t find fault “with the State, but only with Sikhs and farmers”. This showed her “deep-rooted hate for a particular community”, he alleged.

Mann, 79, had resigned from the IPS in 1984 following Operation Bluestar at Amritsar’s Golden Temple to flush out militants hiding in the complex. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tarn Taran in 1989, Sangrur in 1999 and from the same constituency again in a 2022 bypoll.