Kangana Ranaut Reacts as Nirmala Sitharaman Slams Jaya Bachchan’s Alliance Over 2020 Office Demolition

This was because the minister responded on behalf of the government to what Jaya Bachchan had said regarding the government's attitude towards the film industry. Jaya, a Samajwadi Party MP, said that the government has been trying to "kill" the industry as it has been paying no heed to the issues faced-has single-screen theatres gone extinct and the daily wage earners are suffering.

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Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during the General Discussion on the Union Budget 2025-26, Jaya Bachchan said, “One industry has been totally ignored by you, and other governments were also doing the same thing. But today you have taken it to the next level. You have totally ignored the film and entertainment industry because you only use them for serving your own purpose. Today, leave aside GST, all the single screens (theatres) are shutting down. People are not going to movie halls because everything has become so costly. Perhaps you want to kill this industry altogether. This is the only industry that connects the entire world to India." She further appealed for relief, saying, “I am speaking on behalf of my film industry and making a request to this House on behalf of the audio-visual industry, that please spare them. Please have some mercy for them. You are trying to kill this industry. Please do not do this. Today you have started targeting cinema also."

Nirmala Sitharaman's office countered Jaya Bachchan's claims by pointing out that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, in which her party was an ally, had acted against Kangana Ranaut in 2020 by demolishing her office within 24 hours in Mumbai. The minister suggested that Jaya should discuss political intimidation within her own alliance before blaming the central government for neglecting Bollywood. The tweet from @nsitharamanoffc read, “Jaya Ji has alleged that the film industry hasn’t been supported by the government. However, she will well remember Hon’ble MP (LS) Smt Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam). The MVA Govt, her alliance partner, in September 2020 in Mumbai, intimidated Ms Ranaut & in a notice of 24 hours, demolished her office until the Bombay High Court intervened. Jaya Bachchan Ji must speak to her alliance partners about that."

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The Finance Minister’s office also referenced historical examples of political interference in Bollywood, stating, “Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Lata Mangeshkar Ji’s brother, got fired from All India Radio because his composition didn’t sit well with the Congress party. Also, Majrooh Sultanpuri was jailed. Dev Anand was threatened for not supporting the Emergency. Kishore Kumar was also pulled off air."

Reacting to Sitharaman’s statement, Kangana thanked the minister for acknowledging how she was allegedly persecuted by political parties. She wrote, “Thank you honourable @nsitharaman ji for highlighting all the support and encouragement film industry getting from our government also as a woman you highlighted my struggles, how my constitutional rights were crushed by the arrogant political parties. Thanks a lot."

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