Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
Ranaut targeted Das through Instagram Stories after he questioned her political standing and said members of her own party did not take her seriously. The Mandi MP called the 28-year-old CJP representative “useless and unemployed” and challenged his description of himself as a student.
“Googled this person and he is 28 years old. How he claims to be a student, I have no clue,” Ranaut wrote. She said she had spent about two decades in public life and argued that her responsibilities extended beyond Parliament to acting, filmmaking, production, screenwriting and business.
Ranaut also compared her professional record with that of Das, saying she had won two National Film Awards by his age. She accused him of lacking skills and suggested that his grievances were personal rather than political.
“Dear Saurav, your issues are personal. You are not a student. You are simply useless. Let’s start with learning some skill. It’s a good place to start,” she wrote.
The attack followed Das’s response to Ranaut’s criticism of young people involved in protests over examination paper leaks and recruitment failures. Das said her comments did not command respect among Gen Z or Gen Alpha and accused her of failing to maintain the dignity expected of a parliamentarian.
“Even members of her own party do not pay much heed to Kangana Ranaut or take her seriously, so why should we?” Das said. He argued that younger protesters had helped restore public faith in democratic participation by mobilising around examination integrity and accountability.
Das also referred to earlier remarks by Ranaut about the demands of parliamentary work. She had spoken about being overwhelmed by the responsibilities attached to representing Mandi after entering the Lok Sabha in 2024. Das said those comments weakened her attempt to portray an entire generation as unserious.
The confrontation began after Ranaut circulated comments about videos emerging from the CJP-led demonstrations. She described some protest footage as “puke-inducing” and objected to abusive language allegedly directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother.
Ranaut said political protest did not justify obscenity or personal abuse. She questioned whether demonstrators using such language could credibly present themselves as students seeking reform. She also contrasted their conduct with her account of becoming financially independent during her teenage years.
Her comments broadened beyond the conduct of particular protesters. She used the term “Generation Gutter” and made sweeping claims about young women, education, employment, personal relationships and family responsibility. Those remarks triggered criticism that she had generalised about millions of young people on the basis of selected social-media clips.
CJP leaders said the language reflected contempt for students who had spent weeks demanding action over alleged irregularities in high-stakes examinations. The group emerged from an online satirical campaign before developing into a wider youth movement centred on paper leaks, delayed recruitment and the pressure created by competitive examinations.
The movement expanded after the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following the disclosure of a question-paper leak affecting about two million candidates. Demonstrations spread from social-media platforms to Delhi and several states, with large gatherings held at Jantar Mantar and a march towards Parliament.
Its principal demands included political accountability, the withdrawal of police cases against protesters and compensation for families of students reported to have died by suicide after examination failures and alleged irregularities. The agitation disrupted Parliament and produced negotiations between CJP representatives and senior government figures.
Dharmendra Pradhan subsequently resigned as education minister, while Pralhad Joshi was given additional charge of the portfolio. Protest organisers then withdrew their main agitation after the government accepted several demands, although disagreements continued over the treatment of demonstrators and the status of criminal cases.
The dispute involving Ranaut has shifted attention from examination policy to the language used by political figures and campaigners. Her supporters have defended her right to condemn abusive protest slogans and have cited her professional achievements as evidence of personal discipline.
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