bollywood

Updated: Jan 10, 2020 15:06 IST

Union minister Smriti Irani has reacted to actor Deepika Padukone visiting the JNU campus in support of protesting students on Tuesday night. Speaking at an event in Chennai on Thursday, Irani said the actor had ‘made her political affiliation known in 2011 that she supports the Congress party’.

. @smritiirani takes down Deepika Padukone for supporting Bharat Tere Tukde Gang pic.twitter.com/XzqTmSjeaN — Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) January 10, 2020

“I think that anybody who has read the news knew where you are going to stand... knew that you are standing with people who celebrate every time a CRPF jawan is killed,” Irani said.

Also read: Kanhaiya Kumar to Deepika Padukone, support builds for JNU after attacks

“I would rather know what her political affiliation is than not know... I can’t deny her that right that she will stand next to people who will beat up other girls who don’t see eye-to-eye ideologically in private parts. That’s her freedom (sic),” she said.

“She made her political affiliation known in 2011 that she supports the Congress party,” she said. “It’s her right (to) stand next to people who say Bharat tere tukde honge,” the minister added. She was referring to an old interview of the actor being shared by her critics, in which she reportedly supports Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minster

Padukone visited JNU on Tuesday and stood in solidarity with the protesting students. The actor’s visit sharply divided social media, with BJP leader Tajinder Bagga urging people to boycott her film. Union minister Prakash Javadekar, responding to his party leaders’ comments, had said on Wednesday: “Why only artistes, any common man can go anywhere to express his opinion, there cannot be any objection.”