Breaking his silence on the incident  where actor and MP Kangana Ranaut was allegedly slapped by a CISF constable at Chandigarh International Airport, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant mann on Monday, condemned the incident as an act “out of anger” while also criticizing Ranaut for her inflammatory response, which labeled the entire state of Punjab as terrorist.

“The incident stemmed from anger. Kangana Ranaut's past remarks had already stirred resentment in the heart of the CISF constable,” said Mann.

Mann acknowledged that while the slapping incident should not have occurred, he maintained that Ranaut’s reaction was equally unjustifiable. “This should not have happened. But in reply to it, despite being a public figure — a film star and an elected MP — saying that the entire Punjab is a terrorist is wrong,” he added.

The Chief Minister highlighted Punjab’s vital role in India's freedom struggle and its contribution to the nation's food security. He emphasized that branding the state and its people as terrorists is not only incorrect but also deeply hurtful. “On every issue, you say that they are terrorists and separatists. If farmers hold protests, they are called terrorists. It is wrong,” said Mann.

The incident involved Kulwinder Kaur, an ‘under-suspension’ CISF woman constable, who had allegedly slapped Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport last week. Kaur was reportedly upset with Ranaut's comments during the farmers’ year long agitation on Delhi borders. The constable's brother, Sher Singh Mahiwal, is an organizing secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee in Kapurthala.

Kangana Ranaut, in a video message following the incident, claimed that she was hit in the face and verbally abused during a security check. She described the encounter in a social media post titled, “Shocking rise in terror and violence in Punjab” after landing in Delhi. Ranaut recounted, “She hit me in the face and started abusing me. I asked her why she did it and she said she supports the farmer protests. I am safe, but my concern is that terrorism and extremism are increasing in Punjab. How do we handle that?”

A separate video circulating on social media showed the agitated constable explaining her actions to bystanders. In the video, Kaur reportedly said, “Kangana made a statement earlier that the women farmers were protesting in Delhi because they were paid Rs 100 or Rs 200. At the time, my mother was one of the protesters.”

Following the incident, the Mohali Police booked Kulwinder Kaur under IPC sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), both of which are bailable offences.

Chief Minister Mann reiterated that the slap incident symbolizes the pent-up frustration resulting from Kangana Ranaut's previous provocative statements. He stressed that while the incident was regrettable, Ranaut should have shown restraint and remembered the significant contributions of Punjabis to the country. “The immature statement does not behove a public figure of Kangana’s stature,” Mann concluded, urging for a more responsible and respectful discourse.

SIT Formed to Probe ‘Slap’ Incident

In a high-profile case, the Mohali Police on Monday constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident in which actress and Mandi MP-elect Kangana Ranaut was allegedly slapped at the Chandigarh Airport by the CIDF lady constable.

The SIT will be led by Mohali SP City Harveer Singh Atwal, and will be assisted by DSP Airport Kuljinder Singh and Station House Officer Perry Winkle.

SP City Atwal said that the investigation will heavily rely on the CCTV footage from the airport. “The team will scrutinize the video evidence to identify individuals present at the scene during the incident. Those identified in the footage will be questioned to gather more details. Additionally, both parties involved in the incident will be summoned for questioning to provide their accounts of what transpired,” he said.

Based on the evidence collected, the SIT will compile a comprehensive report to be submitted to higher authorities. Currently, no specific timeline has been set for the completion of the investigation, as it involves interviewing numerous individuals which may take considerable time.