"Constable Who 'Slapped' Kangana Ranaut: 'My Mother Was at Farmers' Protest'"

Ms. Ranaut was en route to Delhi and did not address the press upon her arrival. However, she later released a video in which she expressed her anger about the "rise of terrorism in Punjab."

In Chandigarh, security officer Kulwinder Kaur, accused of slapping newly elected BJP MP Kangana Ranaut at the airport, cited an old remark by the actress about the farmers' protest as the trigger. Kaur explained, "She claimed farmers were protesting for ₹100. Would she do that? My mother was protesting there when she said that."

Ms. Kaur, who hails from a farming family, has been suspended and is now facing a police investigation. She reacted to Ms. Ranaut, who had just won the Mandi seat in Himachal Pradesh and was headed to Delhi, for "disrespecting farmers."

After arriving in Delhi, Ms. Ranaut vented about "terrorism rising in Punjab," detailing the incident in a video message. "The incident occurred at the security check-in. The guard waited for me to pass and then hit me, hurling expletives. When I asked why she hit me, she said, 'I support farmers.' I'm safe, but my concern is the rising terrorism in Punjab. How do we handle that?" she questioned.

Mobile footage that quickly went viral showed Ms. Ranaut being escorted to a check-in counter, where a verbal altercation ensued. The video does not show the alleged slap.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini stated that an inquiry is underway and assured action against those responsible, emphasizing the gravity of a security officer's involvement in the incident.

Ms. Kaur, a constable in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), referred to a controversial comment Ms. Ranaut made on X (formerly Twitter) in 2020 amid the nationwide farmers' protest against three contentious farm laws. Ms. Ranaut had mocked an elderly woman at the protest, suggesting she was "available for ₹100," a tweet she later deleted after public backlash.

Ms. Ranaut also drew attention in February 2021 when she responded to international pop star Rihanna's critique of the BJP government over the farmers' protest, calling the protesters "terrorists" and alleging a plot to divide India for China's benefit. This post was also deleted following criticism.

The farmers' protest, which began in 2020 and continued into 2021, has had significant political repercussions, potentially impacting the BJP's prospects in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Ms. Ranaut has had multiple confrontations with the protesting farmers, including an incident where her convoy was blocked by agitators in Chandigarh.