NEW DELHI: TheBJPon Monday reprimanded party MPKangana Ranautand distanced itself from her controversial remarks suggesting that farmers' protests could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation in the country if the BJP's top leadership was not strong enough.“The statement made by BJP MPKanganaRanaut in the context of the farmers' movement is not the opinion of the party.The Bharatiya Janata Party expresses its disagreement with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut,” the BJP said in a statement. "Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on party's policy. She has been directed not to make such statement in future," the party added.In a video shared on X, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut had alleged that “bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place” during the farmers' protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. "There was a long planning behind all this like inBangladesh. The farmers had never thought that the three bills which were introduced by the government to help them would be withdrawn. But they are still sitting there," she said. The BJP MP also claimed that China, America, and other foreign powers were involved in this conspiracy to destroy the country with the help of insiders.'Why do BJP people hate food providers?'The Congress reacted strongly to Kangana's remarks. Responding to her post, senior Congress leader Surjewala wrote on X, “After all, why do BJP people hate the country's food providers so much? The BJP has always lied, deceived, conspired and oppressed our farmers. And once again a BJP MP has made baseless allegations against our food providers. The question is that, has Kangana made this cheap allegation against the farmers as per the BJP's election strategy?”The All India Kisan Sabha also condemned the BJP MP's remarks. AIKS president Dr Ashok Dhawale said Ranaut's remarks were highly condemnable, adding these were made by the actor-turned-politician to please her "external and internal bosses who want to devour agriculture". The "kisan struggle" against the three farms laws, which would have compromised the sovereignty and food security of the country, amid harsh weather, COVID pandemic and "state violence" had 736 martyrs, the AIKS statement claimed.The BJP would be wary of the possible negative impact of Kangana's remarks in the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, which was the epicentre of thefarmers protest. The Nayab Saini led BJP government in the state is going all out to woo the farmers.

NEW DELHI:HS Prannoy, a veteran Indianbadminton player, announced on Monday that he is temporarily stepping away from the sport to fully recover from the effects ofchikungunya, aviral illnessthat negatively impacted his performance at theParis Olympics.The 32-year-old, who has achieved notable successes such as winning the 2022Thomas Cup titleand securing bronze medals at the world andAsian Games, was struck by the mosquito-borne disease just before the Paris Olympics, causing him severe joint pain for a week.In a statement on X, Prannoy shared, "Unfortunately, the battle with chikungunya has taken a toll on my body, leaving me with persistent pains that make it impossible to compete at my best."He further added, "After careful consideration with my team, I've decided to withdraw from some of the upcoming tournaments to focus on recovery. Thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging time. I'll be back stronger."Prannoy did not specify the duration of his recovery period or the specific tournaments he has withdrawn from. The Kerala-born shuttler, who clinched the world championship bronze in 2023, has been plagued by various health issues, including a chronic stomach disorder and a persistent back injury.Despite not being in optimal physical condition, Prannoy managed to win both his group matches at theParis Games, advancing to the round of 16. However, he was ultimately defeated by fellow Indian playerLakshya Senin the pre-quarterfinal match.