The war of words between the Congress-backed Maharashtra government and actress Kangana Ranaut is far from over. On Monday, the actress informed her fans that she has left Mumbai after being harassed by the State machinery. Citing the destruction of her house and office by the Brinhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), she reiterated that her comparison of Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was right.
Kangana Ranaut tweeted, “With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days, constant attacks and abuses hurled at me, attempts to break my house after my workplace, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on.”
With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days constant attacks and abuses hurled at me attempts to break my house after my work place, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on. https://t.co/VXYUNM1UDF
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 14, 2020
However, her tweet riled up Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa who practices as an advocate in the Supreme Court. Labelling the decision of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide Y-category security to Kangana Ranaut as waste of ‘taxpayers’ money, the Congress politician demanded withdrawal of her security cover. He claimed that she did not need security personnel to protect her since she was back to her ‘safe’ hometown in Himachal Pradesh and not Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
Kalappa wrote, “Y category security for one person costs the Centre over 10,00,000/- each month. This money is borne by taxpayers. Now that Kangana is safe in HP (far away from POK), will Modi Sarkar kindly withdraw the security detail provided to her?!”
Y category security for one person costs the Centre over 10,00,000/- each month. This money is borne by taxpayers.
— Brijesh Kalappa (@brijeshkalappa) September 14, 2020
Now that Kangana is safe in HP (far away from POK), will Modi Sarkar kindly withdraw the security detail provided to her?! https://t.co/UdEArImhJu
The actress was however in no mood to let the Congress leader off the hook. She informed, “Brijesh ji security is not given based on what you or I think, IB ( Intelligence Bureau) investigates the threat, based on the threat my security grade is decided.” The actress further added that she hopes, by the grace of god, if the threat perception to her is diminished in the IB report, the security cover might be withdrawn. If it goes up, it may be upgraded.
Brijesh ji security is not given based on what you or I think, IB ( Intelligence Bureau) investigates the threat, based on the threat my security grade is decided, by the grace of God in coming days it might get totally removed or if IB report gets worse they might upgrade.
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 14, 2020
However, the media ecosystem was quick to present the argument as a manifestation of a non-political legal mind, concerned about the wastage of taxpayers’ money. Pinkvilla, for instance, chose to ignore the fact that Kalappa is a Congress leader and AICC national spokesperson. Throughout the article, the publication referred to the individual as a Supreme Court advocate.
Similar attempt at whitewashing the ‘Congress angle’ was made by Hindustan Times and DNA.
Brijesh Kalappa had been associated with Congress for years. He had been appointed Congress media convenor in 2018 and is also AICC national spokesperson. Kalappa was also the legal advisor of the Siddaramaiah government. He was also given the position of a minister in the earlier Karnataka government by Siddaramaiah. He was hopeful of the MLA ticket for Madikeri which was given instead to HS Chandramauli by his party.
