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Vikram Gokhale backs Kangana’s “Bheek” remark

Vikram Gokhale

Vikram Gokhale backs Kangana’s “Bheek” remark

Veteran Marathi and Hindi Actor Vikram Gokhale backed the controversial remark made by Kangana Ranaut on the Independence of India being “bheek”.

The actor made the statement while speaking at an event organized by the Bramhan Mahasangh to celebrate the 75th birthday of the actor.

“I agree with what Kangana has said. We got freedom in alms. The fighters who wanted to snatch it from the British were hanged and the bigwigs at that time did not attempt to save them,” said the actor

Gokhale later told the Indian Express: “I also agree with what Ranaut said that we got real freedom in 2014.”

Gokhale also said that he is not a blind supporter of the Prime Minister Modi. He says that he does not agree with everything that is said by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during election campaigns. However, he does like the stance taken by them “when they work in national interest, like how they put China on the backfoot”.

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Actor Sharad Ponkshe, whose play “Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy” had created a controversy a few years back, said, “India gained freedom because of the fight put up by freedom fighters, patriots, satyagrahis, those who believed in non-violence, and even those who stayed home and prayed…Indian gained freedom in 1947 and not in 2014.” Stating that he did not want to get into a verbal duel with Gokhale, he said, “I don’t know what he said and what was reported by television channels, which are known for twisting things.”

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan said, “If Gokhale is supporting her (Ranaut), he should better join a political party like BJP.” To this, Gokhale said he was not a supporter of any political party. “My views are my views. They are not dictated by any political parties. All parties are similar,” he said.

Gokhale also pointed out how all parties play politics in the name of the religion.

Gokhale said every political party, including BJP, tries to derive a benefit from controversies.

Mukund Kirdat of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said, “We are consulting our legal team and might file a police complaint against the actor.”

Aam Aadmi Party’s legal office had recently filed a complaint against actress Kangana Ranaut for making the “seditious” remark.

Kangana Ranaut’s remarks

Recently, Kangana Ranaut’s statements started a row, again.

A video was posted by politician Varun Gandhi of Kangana Ranaut speaking at a summit where she said the Indian Independence of 1947 was given to us in “bheek” and “real independence” was achieved in 2014, the time when current Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into power.

The actress received a lot of criticism for her remark from all sides of the political spectrum.

While AAP’s representatives filed an official complaint against the actress. The congress leaders expressed discontent towards the dumbfounded statements of the actress.

 The DCW Chief had asked President Kovind to take back the Padmi Shri awarded to the actress as she is mentally unstable.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Friday said actor Kangana Ranaut’s comment that the Independence India won in 1947 was “bheek” (alms) was completely wrong.

“Kangana Ranaut’s comment on the country’s fight for Independence is completely wrong. Nobody has a right to pass a negative remark on the freedom movement,” Patil told reporters, though he added he did not know the “emotions” that made the actor utter such a statement.

Kangana Ranaut’s previous remarks have landed her in a lot of schooling by the netizens.

The actress was banned permanently following an incendiary tweet made by her in relation to the post poll violence in West Bengal. The actress asked the PM to show his “Viraat Roop” from “early 2000s” to “tame” Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal.