Agra Court reopens ‘Sedition case’ over Mandi MP Kangana’s remarks branding farmers ‘Rioters’
Shimla, Nov 12,
A district court in Agra has directed that sedition proceedings against Bollywood actor and Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut be reconsidered, reviving a case linked to her controversial remarks describing protesting farmers as “terrorists” and “rioters.”
The order, delivered by Special MP-MLA Judge Lokesh Kumar, came after the court accepted a revision petition challenging the earlier dismissal of the complaint. The judge observed that the matter merited fresh examination and directed the lower court to reopen the case.
The complaint, filed by advocate Ramashankar Sharma — president of the Agra Bar Association — accuses the MP of making inflammatory statements that insulted farmers and sought to incite hatred. Sharma had alleged that Ranaut’s comments during a media interview amounted to sedition and were intended to demean the farming community.
Ranaut, despite being issued six summons, has not yet appeared in court. She has been represented by Supreme Court advocate Anusuya Chaudhary and counsels Sudha Pradhan and Vivek Sharma, while the complainant’s side was argued by senior lawyers including Sukhbir Singh Chauhan, Rajveer Singh, and B.S. Faujdar.
The controversy stems from an interview published on August 24, 2024, where Ranaut reportedly said, “If our top leadership hadn’t been strong, Punjab could have become another Bangladesh during the farmers’ protest. Rioters were spreading violence in the name of farmers. Rapes and murders were taking place there. The farmers’ bill was withdrawn, otherwise these rioters would have suffered greatly.”
Advocate Sharma said the statement equated farmers with “terrorists” and “criminals,” deeply hurting the sentiments of millions who had participated in the protest. “I come from a farming background. Her words insulted those who toil to feed the nation,” he stated.
After his complaint to the Police Commissioner and New Agra Police Station on August 31, 2024, drew no action, Sharma moved the Special MP-MLA court on September 11, 2024, seeking registration of a sedition case under Section 124A IPC.
The petition also referenced Ranaut’s earlier controversial comment from November 2021, where she claimed that India achieved “real independence” in 2014 when the Modi government came to power, and described the 1947 freedom as “begged for.” These remarks, widely condemned for undermining freedom fighters, added weight to the complainant’s argument that her statements were divisive and derogatory.
With the revision petition now accepted, the case will return to the lower court, which will decide whether charges of sedition, defamation, and promoting enmity should be formally framed against the MP.
Legal observers say the decision marks a pivotal development, as it could pave the way for criminal proceedings against a sitting Member of Parliament from Himachal Pradesh.
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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
