BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut has criticised Congress leader Sonia Gandhi amid the ongoing row over Gandhi’s purported response during the rendition of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day.
Kangana shares The Odyssey meme to mock Sonia Gandhi
Kangana shared a meme that uses a scene from Christopher Nolan’s recent blockbuster The Odyssey. In the clip, Odysseus is shown screaming as he hears the mesmerizing yet deadly song of the Sirens. In the original poem, the Sirens are perilous female creatures who entice sailors and lead them to their deaths on the jagged shores of their island..
The meme juxtaposed Odysseus’s reaction with Sonia Gandhi’s response to hearing Vande Mataram, seemingly ridiculing how the Congress leader reacted during the national song. The text on the meme stated, "Sonia Gandhi after 2nd verse." Kangana reposted the meme with the remark, "I usually don’t enjoy or share memes, but this one really made me laugh." 😂"
What is the Sonia Gandhi controversy?
Multiple leaders of the ruling BJP have claimed that Sonia Gandhi objected to the rendition of the complete version of ‘Vande Mataram’ during the flag-hoisting ceremony at the party headquarters. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has further alleged that Sonia Gandhi instructed that the singing of Vande Mataram be halted midway through the event. On Sunday, complaints were lodged against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi for allegedly disrespecting the national song..
However, the Congress has rejected all these allegations, maintaining that there was no effort to prevent the full rendition of the national song. The party clarified that Sonia was merely requesting a chair for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as he had been standing for an extended period.
The controversy comes days after Parliament cleared amendments to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, granting “Vande Mataram” status at par with the national anthem.
Kangana and the CJP protest
Kangana recently drew attention for her criticism of the CJP demonstrators. The actor sparked controversy by referring to the women protesters as a 'gutter generation'. She remarked, "Never in my life have I witnessed such ugliness concentrated in one place. These reels from Gen Z protests are nauseating. The way they talk and the kind of language they use... never before have I seen every single frame feel so abrasive and vulgar at the same time... I call them Generation Gutter. Some of them contribute nothing to the system. They are not academically inclined."”
She continued, "You refer to yourselves as cockroaches and actually look and act like them as well... there is no contradiction or contrast here, just a relentless exposure of the world to your filth, trash, and ugliness. These reels have left me traumatized; I need recovery and a digital detox."