Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has defended her controversial remarks about Gen Z protesters after facing widespread criticism from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition leaders and social media users, states Hindustan Times.
The controversy began after Ranaut criticised videos from the CJP-led student protests over alleged NEET examination irregularities, describing some protesters as the “generation gutter” and questioning their behaviour.
In a series of Instagram posts, Ranaut criticised the language used by some protesters and wrote that she had “never in my life seen so much ugliness in one place.”
She also targeted some young women participating in the demonstrations, claiming that truly independent women take responsibility for their actions and alleging that some protesters were “ugly and corrupt.”
The remarks quickly drew criticism from opposition parties and CJP leaders, who accused the actor-politician of insulting an entire generation of young people.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke dismissed Ranaut’s comments, saying they did not deserve serious attention.
The movement’s spokesperson, Saurav Das, also criticised the actor, questioning her language and suggesting her own party did not take her seriously.
Das further mocked her comments about adjusting to parliamentary responsibilities.
Ranaut later responded on Instagram by questioning Das’ claim of being a student at the age of 28 and calling him “useless and unemployed.” She also highlighted that she had already won two National Awards by that age while balancing multiple careers.
As criticism intensified, Ranaut posted a video on Instagram insisting that her comments had been taken out of context.
She said she was objecting only to what she described as “gutter-level, unethical and obscene behaviour” displayed by some protesters in public.
“We do not want our children to be sexualised and feel embarrassed in front of elders. We do not accept this kind of behaviour and will not normalise it,” she said.
The BJP MP also argued that freedom comes with responsibility and said public behaviour should remain within the limits of civic discipline.
Ranaut further accused sections of the media of focusing solely on the controversy while ignoring her praise for India’s young achievers.
She said she had congratulated students over the NEET movement, appreciated young entrepreneurs and startups, and regularly acknowledged members of Gen Z making positive contributions.
According to Ranaut, the backlash resulted from selective reporting that overlooked the broader context of her statements.
The controversy erupted shortly after the Centre accepted key demands of the student protesters, including the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, bringing the 36-day agitation to an end.
