Another complaint against Kangana Ranaut; NCP leader approaches Mumbai Court alleging sedition

A Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader has filed a private complaint in Mumbai Court seeking judicial cognizance against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for her statements against the Sikh community and about the Indian Independence struggle..The complainant, Yusuf Parmar sought action against Ranaut for offences under Sections 124A (sedition) and 504 (intentionally insults to provoke causing breach in peace) of IPC and Section 2 of Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act..Ranaut as a guest speaker for the Times Now Summit 2021 had stated on air that ‘India got its true Independence only in 2014 (when Modi government came to power) and the independence of 1947 was alms’..In the complaint filed through Advocate DV Saroj, Parmar stated that Ranaut degraded India's freedom fighters and martyrs who had laid down their lives for Independence..He stated that he had filed a complaint with the Malad Police against the incident seeking registration of FIR under provisions of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act. However, police refused to register FIR compelling him to approach the Court..The other incident cited by Parmar was a post put up by Ranaut on her Instragram handle in which she made comments against the farmers who are protesting against the Farm Laws.A good number of protesting farmers belong to Sikh community.The complaint stated that Ranaut did not name the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, but said that Gandhi had “crushed those working to disintegrate the country” thereby alluding to the actions of the former PM against Sikhs.The comments came days after the Central government decided to withdraw the contentious farm laws amidst protests by farmers..Parmar stated that in light of these acts, Ranaut had committed offence of sedition under the Indian Penal Code.He prayed for Court’s cognizance under Sections 124A (sedition) and 504 (intentionally insults to provoke causing breach in peace) of IPC and Section 2 of Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act.The Mumbai Police has already booked Kangana under Section 295A (insulting religious sentiments) of the Indian Penal Code for her Instagram post on farmers.The FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Amarjitsingh Kulwantsingh Sandhu, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Jaspal Singh Siddhu, who were part of committees of various Gurudwaras in Mumbai and Delhi.