What Kangana Ranaut Said in Her First Speech in Parliament | WATCH

New Delhi: In her inaugural speech in Parliament, actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut appealed to the Lok Sabha to take action to safeguard the art forms and traditions of Himachal Pradesh. Speaking during Zero Hour, Ranaut underscored the threat of extinction facing many of the state’s traditional practices.

She emphasized the need to protect unique Himachali traditions, including the kath kuni style of construction, the crafting of clothing from sheep and yak wool, and the musical heritage of regions like Spiti, Kinnaur, and Bharmour. Ranaut also pointed out that traditional Himachali garments, such as jackets and caps made from sheep and yak wool, are valued abroad and should be safeguarded.

Ranaut requested information from the government on the measures being taken to preserve these cultural traditions of the hill state.

“In Mandi, several traditional art forms are nearing extinction. Himachal Pradesh has a unique construction technique known as kath-kuni, and clothing made from sheep skin, including jackets, caps, shawls, and sweaters, which are highly valued abroad. However, these practices are disappearing locally. It is crucial to discuss the measures being taken to promote and preserve these cultural traditions”, said Kangana. 

She shared the video of her maiden speech on social media and wrote, "Aaj Parliament mein Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) ke vishay mein baat rakhne ka pehla mauka mila (Today I got the first chance to talk about Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) in the Parliament).”

Kangana's Mandi Win Challenged 

Meanwhile, the actor-turned-politician has received a notice from the Himachal Pradesh High Court in response to a petition challenging her election. The court, led by Justice Jyotsna Rewal, has given Ranaut until August 21 to file her reply. The petition was filed by Layak Ram Negi, a resident of Kinnaur and former government employee. Negi seeks to overturn Ranaut’s election result, claiming that his nomination papers were unjustly rejected by the returning officer (Deputy Commissioner, Mandi). The petition also names the returning officer as a party to the case.

Negi alleges that his nomination papers were improperly dismissed after he was given insufficient time to provide additional documentation, despite having submitted a “no dues certificate” from his former employer, the forest department. He argues that he would have had a viable chance of winning if his nomination had been accepted.