Kangana Ranaut to apologise, return Padma Shri if freedom comment proved wrong

Kangana Ranaut has expressed readiness to return her Padma Shri award and apologise if she is proved wrong in saying that India attained "real freedom" in 2014. Ranaut has kicked off a row by declaring that India attained "real freedom" in 2014, when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, and describing the country's Independence in 1947 as "bheek", or alms.

Hyderabad (Telangana):Bollywood actor-producer Kangana Ranaut kicked off a firestorm on Thursday for saying that India attained real freedom in 2014, when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, and describing the country's Independence in 1947 as bheek, or alms. While she is receiving flack for her comments and complaints are being lodged, the actor has said that she would return the prestigious Padma Shri award and is ready to apologise if proven wrong.

Tanking to her Instagram Stories, Kangana has shared multiple posts in her defense. The actor wrote, "Offering to return the prestigious Padma Shri award, Kangana shared an excerpt from a book and wrote, “Everything is very clearly mentioned in the same interview 1857 first collective fight for freedom… along with sacrifice of greats like Subhash Chandra Bose, Rani Laxmibai and Veer Savarkar ji. 1857 I know but which war took place in 1947 I am not aware, if someone can bring to my awareness I will give back my Padma Shri and apologise also… please help me with this.

The multiple National Award-winning actor went on to justify her words she emphasised that "consciousness and conscience of India was set free in 2014." The actor also said that her words would cause discomfort to those who have a guilty conscience but nothing can be done about it.

Kangana Ranaut to apologise, return Padma Shri if proven wrong about freedom comment

READ |Clamour to strip Kangana off Padma award grows louder

"As far as Aazadi in 2014 is concerned, I specifically said physical Aazadi we may have had but consciousness and conscience of India was set free in 2014... a dead civilisation came alive and fluttered its wing and now roaring and soaring high ... today for the first time ... people can't shame us for not speaking in English or coming from small towns or using made in India products... everything is articulate and clear in the same interview... lekin jo chor hain unki toh jalegi ... koi bujha nahi sakta (those who have a guilty conscience will feel the burn, nothing can be done about it) ... Jai Hind."

Meanwhile, Congress, AAP and other major state parties like Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party have demanded Ranaut's arrest, stripping her of all the national honours/awards and an apology to the whole country for denigrating the Indian Freedom of 1947 when the country is celebrating the 75th year of Independence.