BJP MP and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Sunday criticised the alleged defamatory coverage of Bhojpuri folk singer Neha Singh Rathore by ABP News, saying that tarnishing a woman's reputation for television ratings was a "shameful" act.
Responding to Rathore's post on X, in which she sought the BJP MP's reaction to the controversy, Kangana said that although the singer's political views and statements often contradicted her own, that did not justify allegedly defaming a woman for TRPs.
"Neha ji. Your political views and statements made from time to time are contrary to my political views and unacceptable to me. However, defaming any woman without basis for TRP is a very shameful thing. The head of ABP should take responsibility for this," Kangana wrote in Hindi.
What Is The Controversy?
The controversy erupted after Rathore, known for her criticism of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, accused ABP News of publishing defamatory and factually incorrect content about her.
In a post on X, the singer strongly objected to the report, alleging that she had been portrayed as a "call girl" and a "prostitute". She questioned the channel's conduct and said she would not let the matter end with the publication of the report.
Rathore also accused the channel of attempting to undermine her dignity after, according to her, the BJP's IT cell had failed to silence her.
ABP News Issues Apology
Following Rathore's allegations, ABP Network issued an apology on X, acknowledging that a news report about the folk singer published on its digital platforms had been found to be factually incorrect.
The network expressed regret over the erroneous publication and apologised for the mistake.
However, Rathore rejected the apology, arguing that publishing allegedly defamatory content and subsequently saying sorry was not enough to address the damage caused.
In another post, she said the report had affected her mental well-being and asserted that she wanted justice rather than an apology. She also indicated that she would pursue the matter legally.
"Justice is what I want, not an apology," Rathore said in her post, adding that the matter would be taken up in court.
Rathore Seeks Response From BJP Women Leaders
After the channel's apology, Rathore tagged several BJP women leaders and lawmakers, seeking their reactions to the controversy.
In her post addressed to Kangana, the singer acknowledged that the two had different political ideologies but appealed to their shared identity as women.
Rathore asked the Mandi MP whether she had nothing to say about the incident and questioned whether women should remain silent when another woman's dignity was allegedly targeted.
Kangana responded by condemning the alleged defamation while reiterating that she disagreed with Rathore's political views. She also called on the head of ABP to take responsibility for the report.
