Kangana faces Congress stir over her remarks against Dalai Lama

MANDI : BJP candidate from the Mandi parliamentary constituency Kangana Ranaut was on Monday shown black flags by locals and Congress workers at Kaza in Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.

The BJP alleged that stones were hurled at her cavalcade. The people were reportedly enraged over her remarks on the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in April last year.

Congress workers also raised anti-Kangana slogans. Ranaut had tweeted a meme featuring the Dalai Lama. The photoshopped picture carried a comment that was not liked by a group of Buddhists who staged a dharna outside her office in Mumbai.

Later she apologised saying she did not mean to hurt anyone, and it was a harmless joke about Biden being friends with the Dalai Lama.

On Monday she was accompanied by leader of Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and BJP candidate from Lahaul and Spiti Assembly seat Ravi Thakur, among others.

The former chief minister alleged that one person was injured following stone-pelting allegedly by Congress workers at Kangana’s convoy. “A clash also took place between Congress and BJP workers,’’ he said.

Thakur said the BJP had already taken permission for a public meeting at Kaza, questioning why the Congress was allowed to take out a protest rally close to the venue of BJP meeting. “The protesters not only created a disturbance at our function but also pelted Kangana’s carcade with stones. One person was injured,” he alleged.

“We will soon file a complaint with the Election Commission,’’ he said.

Congress election coordinator for Lahaul and Spiti Bhishan Shashni claimed that the Congress workers were peacefully protesting when a large number of people, who were hurt by Ranaut’s remarks about the Tibetan spiritual leader, joined the protest.

Superintendent of Police of Lahaul and Spiti Mayank Chowdhary said that workers of both the BJP and the Congress came face to face but there was no clash and no person was injured. “Only one worker sprained his leg,” he said.

Earlier, Congress candidate from the Mandi seat Vikramaditya Singh asked why Ranaut did not visit Spiti and returned from Reckong Peo, alleging that she was afraid she would be shown black flags for her remarks against the Dalai Lama.