Kulwinder Kaur, the woman Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable who allegedly slapped the newly elected BJP MP Kangana Ranaut at the Chandigarh airport on Thursday, was triggered by a remark the actor-cum-politician made during the farmers' protests in 2020.
In a viral video, Kulwinder Kaur was seen saying, “My mother was there,” referring to Kangana Ranaut's statement saying women in the farmers' protest were paid ₹100 each to sit on Delhi borders.
“Kangana kehti hai aurate 100-100 rupee mein baithi thi aurate farmer protest mein, yeh baithegi wahan pe? Meri maa baithi thi jab isne bayan diya tha (Kangana said the women were sitting in the farmers' protests for ₹100. Will she go and sit there? My mother was sitting there and protesting when she made that remark),” Kaur said.
The woman constable, who has now been suspended and faces a police case, also said she had reacted to the actor-cum-politician's comment "disrespecting farmers".
The CISF, tasked with providing security at airports, has also ordered a court of inquiry into the incident.
According to reports, the CISF constable belongs to a family of farmers.
Kulwinder joined the CISF in 2009 and has been with the aviation security group of the force at the Chandigarh airport since 2021.
She has had no vigilance inquiry or punishment against her in the force till now, the officials said, adding her husband, too, is posted at the same airport.
Following the incident, the BJP MP shared her “concern” over increasing “terrorism and extremism” in Punjab.
Kangana Ranaut also confirmed the incident happened at Chandigarh airport during security check.
Also read: Kangana Ranaut wins Mandi Lok Sabha seat, beats Congress Vikramadita Singh by over 74000 votes
“As soon as I came out after the security check, the lady in the second cabin, a CISF security staff, came from the side, hit me on my face and started abusing me. When I asked her why she did so, she said that she supports farmers' protest,” she said.
"I am safe but I am concerned about the terrorism and extremism that is increasing in Punjab..." she added.
During the height of the nationwide farmers' protest against the three farm laws in 2020, Kangana Ranaut had posted about an elderly woman seen at one of the protests and said, she was "available for ₹100".
Also read: Kangana Ranaut says 'in the name of Narendra Modi' as she leads from Himachal's Mandi Lok Sabha seat
The actor was forced to delete the tweet after public outrage.
National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma said strict action should be taken against Kulwinder Kaur for slapping Kangana Ranaut.
Sharma said it is a serious matter as the people who are responsible for security at the airport are breaching it.
"Strict action should be taken against the lady CISF personnel. We at @NCWIndia have taken up this matter with @CISFHQrs," the NCW chairperson said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
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