Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut on Thursday defended her recent “tapori” comment directed at Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, even as she raised concerns about what she described as the standard of political discourse inside Parliament.
The remarks come amid an ongoing political row over language and behaviour in the House, with leaders across parties trading sharp reactions over decorum and tone during debates.
Speaking to ANI, Ranaut said she respects individuals across the political spectrum but does not see a reason to elevate Gandhi’s stature beyond what she believes he deserves.
“I have respect for everybody. But I cannot pretend unnecessarily to put a crown on his head, which he doesn’t deserve. Why should I glorify him? Is that the standard of opposition that we are setting and the standard of conduct that we’re talking about? In Mumbai, a tapori is someone who may not have the formal etiquette,” Kangana Ranaut said.
‘What is this sort of conduct?’: Kangana on Parliament behaviour
The BJP MP questioned Gandhi’s conduct in Parliament, stressing the need to maintain dignity in public life.
“Parliament or no Parliament, what is this sort of conduct?” the actor argued.
She also objected to Gandhi’s use of a ‘jiu-jitsu’ analogy during a parliamentary speech, where he referred to terms such as “grip” and “choke”.
‘All the women were uncomfortable’: Kangana on Rahul’s analogy
Ranaut said the analogy made several women uneasy during the address, even if it may not have been intended that way.
“He was going from one body part to another. All the women were uncomfortable. Maybe it was not any double meaning, but it was very uncomfortable. There is no point in giving kushti classes there. He’s like, ‘I’m making the base of my argument,’ and people were like, ‘Can you please move on?’ We should not encourage this,” she said.
Earlier remarks and fresh criticism
The controversy follows Ranaut’s comments in March, where she accused Gandhi of disrupting fellow parliamentarians and behaving inappropriately during interactions.
“We, the women, get very uncomfortable seeing the way he (Rahul Gandhi) conducts himself. He walks in like a ‘tapori’ and heckles those giving interviews. He should see the conduct and behaviour of his sister, which is very good. Rahul Gandhi himself is a shame,” she had said.