Kumar Bahukhandi
Kangana Ranaut has seamlessly embraced her two main passions – Bollywood and politics – unlike her showbiz senior colleagues who went into politics by default when the roles ended. Well, Kangana has always made out-of-the-box decisions in life.
And in her case, both her roles have become one. Bollywood has distanced itself from the outspoken star. And political observers are wondering what to do with her, now that she is here to stay. Either way, Kangana remains the outsider who has the knack of saying what others don’t. Because, frankly, she has nothing to lose.
She doesn’t think ahead. She doesn’t need to! Kangana goes ahead and makes her movies. As far as political clout and credibility go… well, let’s just say she has the blessings (and love!) of those in the BJP who matter. Kangana is untouchable. That’s why it’s a treat to watch her, from when she lashes out at Bollywood bigwigs or Olympic athletes to when she sits down during a fiery podcast, like a mafia don, and speaks only what she can.
Recently, she described her Bollywood colleagues as “locusts” – empty-headed, shallow, worthless and directionless – actors who have nothing to say, zero interactions, and no interests beyond their abs, protein shakes, gym workouts, handbags, watches and cars. The rest of the world may be different… but her routine doesn’t change. And yes, that includes sleeping too many hours! Locusts! At a crucial time in our country, when the focus is on a brutal, horrific, brutal rape-murder case in Kolkata, there were several prominent locusts who chose to remain indifferent, silent and detached from the tragedy that has shocked millions of people into a trance, shaken by the standard stupidity that rapes generate in India. Why did this particular incident happen where it hurts the most?
Why did thousands of protestors take to the streets demanding justice for the victim: a vulnerable young doctor who could not sleep after working for 36 hours straight, who dreamed of clearing her MD exams and winning a gold medal? Because India reached that critical juncture on August 9 when, at 3 am, a police volunteer named Sanjoy Roy attacked her and ripped her to pieces. The time for theories, excuses, justifications and explanations is long over.
But we still don’t know what we need to know: Why was the 31-year-old doctor murdered? Who is behind this gruesome murder? Is it just Sanjoy Roy? Other co-conspirators? Is the real villain being shielded by a powerful lobby? How was the case covered up so quickly even before an investigation? There are too many loopholes, too many question marks… and too many locusts. Kolkatans are saying: “It is easy to shift the blame and blame Didi for this incident… when the real culprits are winning.” Assuming that the “real” culprits belong to the BJP, why was Mamata so proactive in providing state government counsel and other aid to Sandip Ghosh, the disgraced (and shameful) principal of R.G. Kar Medical College?
What does she owe this horrible man? What does she have to fear? Had Kolkatans not protested so vehemently, this would have been just another day in the life of the city hospital, which was clearly being run with impunity by criminals… those very criminals being shielded by the Mamata administration. Her 11 women MPs preferred to remain silent. Not a word to console the victim’s family. Worse, they widely circulated a contrary narrative that accused the Congress of spreading misinformation! Notably, Didi’s former MP and favourite Mimi Chakraborty has received death threats for supporting the doctors’ protest. Didi’s “dadagiri” has long gone unchallenged, with the active support of local influential media houses that have prospered under Didi’s autocratic rule.
But Didi’s supporters insist that Rahul Gandhi is responsible for distorting facts. Never mind that the victim’s mutilated body was shown to her grieving father and a case of suicide was made out despite all evidence pointing to murder. Political issues had to be raised. This is where the locust theory begins (thanks, Kangana). There are lots of locusts in Kolkata.
If India’s megastar Dhananjay Y. Had Chandrachud not intervened in time and the CJI-led bench not acted swiftly and asked for deployment of CISF/CRPF, Kolkata would have been burning. However, citizens wonder why the Supreme Court had to order a task force to address the phenomenon of workplace rape in a hospital. We have conveniently forgotten the tragedy of former nurse Aruna Shanbaug, who was raped in Mumbai (1973) on 4 November 1973.
