(TibetanReview.net, Apr15’24) —Bollywood star Ms Kangana Ranaut has on Apr 15 called on His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala along with former BJP Chief minister (Ex-CM) Jairam Ramesh Thakur of Himachal Pradesh. The much-publicized Indian actress is contesting as the BJP candidate for the Mandi district constituency seat in the ongoing general elections.
“It was an experience which I’ll cherish all my life. I think it is exceptional to be in the presence of such a being who has sheer divinity around him. So, it was very emotional for me and ex-CM-Ji. … It is something I will cherish all my life,” she said, following her meeting.
Last year, on Apr 12, Kangana had re-tweeted a meme which featured the Dalai Lama and read, “The Dalai Lama receives a warm welcome at the White house”. The picture in the tweet showed Dalai Lama sticking his tongue out with Joe Biden Photoshopped in front of him.
Sharing the post, the actor wrote, “Hmmm dono ko same bimari hai, definitely dono ki dosti ho sakti hai (The two have the same illness, they can be friends for sure).”
Given the media controversy raised about a news video of the Dalai Lama shown sticking his tongue out to an Indian boy during a public meeting, and the out-of-context suggestions of misconduct sought to be attributed to the Tibetan spiritual leader at that time, Tibetans protested strongly against her, including outside her office in Mumbai.
It prompted Ms Ranaut to clarify on Instagram: “A group of Buddhist people doing dharna outside my office in Pali Hill, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, it was a harmless joke about Biden being friends with Dalai Lama…. please don’t misunderstand my intentions (folded hands emoji).”
She also added, “I do believe in Buddha’s teachings and his holiness 14th Dalai Lama has spent his whole life in public service, I hold nothing against anyone, don’t stand in the harsh heat, please go home”, (with a folded hands emoji again).
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Ms Ranaut is pitted Against Congress stalwart Vikramaditya Singh, son of the state’s late former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who had got elected from the Mandi parliamentary constituency in the 2009 general elections and in 2013 by-election. Vikramaditya is currently a state government minister. Virbhadra Singh’s widow Pratibha Singh currently represents Mandi in the Indian parliament, having won it in the 2021 election.
Voting for the Mandi Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian parliament) seat, which has 17 assembly segments, is being held together with the Lok Sabha polls on Jun 1. The fight between the two candidates is seen as a tough one.
Kangana, who turned 37 on Mar 23, was born in a small town of Mandi district. Her great-grandfather, Sarju Singh Ranaut, was an MLA. Her mother, Asha Ranaut, retired as a schoolteacher from Mandi, and her father, Amardeep, is a businessman.
The actor previously visited the Baglamukhi and Jwala Devi temples in Himachal to celebrate her nomination on Mar 24.