Kangana Ranaut, Manish Sisodia
Kangana Ranaut, Manish SisodiaTwitter/IANS

Kangana Ranaut has yet again ruffled feathers and this time it's Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. At the trailer launch of Panga, Kangana, on Monday, said that only a few people pay tax in India while rest are dependent on them. Her remarks blew Sisodia's fuse.

Sisodia schooled Kangana by giving her a lesson in basic economics and explained to her that even a daily wage earner has to pay indirect taxes, if not direct.

"Violence and damage to public property is wrong in every situation, it is against both humanity and law. But this country is not dependent on tax of only 3 per cent people. Every person in the country pays a tax, from a daily wage worker, even a daily wage labourer to a billionaire," Sisodia slammed Kangana in a series of tweets.

He further added, "And yes! Even a normal daily wage labourer... when going to the cinema... contributes to the coffers of the movie stars and even pays (entertainment) tax for this country. Now think who is dependent on whom?"

While Kangana was receiving all the heat from Sisodia on Twitter, the actress' sister Rangoli Chandel, who never leaves a chance to criticize her counterparts, jumped to Kangana's defence. She asked Sisodia not to twist Kangana's statement over tax payers.

"Sir (addressing Sisodia) ji Kangana is clearly talking about income tax here, please don't twist her statements either way please don't burn public property. If you use highways pay toll tax or buy salt and pay tax that's not income tax, please know if you use resources you pay cos government is cultivating it from collective money," Rangoli replied to Sisodia's rant against Kangana on Twitter.

Rangoli continued, "Holding borders for us and giving us a government so we arnt enslaved by foreign or antisocial forces and if you use more infrastructure you pay more kisi pe ehsaan nahin hai...

"Lots of Bolly people holding foreign passports also use this excuse a lot that we pay taxes, so what more resources you use more money you make and more tax you pay, kisi pe ehsaan nahin hai."

Rangoli Chandel
Rangoli ChandelTwitter

On the other hand, AAP's national spokesperson Ajoy Kumar also called her ill-informed, besides there were huge trolling and backlash that the actress faced across social media.

"Firstly not smart to ask Kangana on tax collections -- she is woefully ill-informed. All the people pay indirect taxes and for the Aam Aadmi (common man) it is a huge part of his income.

"Secondly -- her views have always been divisive. If only she would read Ambedkar, Gandhi," Kumar tweeted.

One Twitter user wrote: "I am waiting for kangana's career to burn. That lady can't act, delivering back to back flops, and some sane ppl are still giving her work. That's the help she's getting from bjp to sustain her career. She can't empathise with victims of mob lynching."

Another wrote: "She also said rest of the India is dependent on tax paid by 3-4%. Even if we assume she doesnt have the school level eco knowledge (diff btw direct & in direct tax), how feudalistic is this statement."

While speaking about the protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Kangana had said, "What gives you the right to burn buses, trains and create ruckus in the country? A bus costs around Rs 70-80 lakh, and that is not a small amount. Have you seen the condition of people in our country? People in this country are dying of hunger and malnutrition. It is not very reasonable for people to indulge in violence."

"I also feel that in the name of democracy -- this is my very personal opinion -- we're still hooked to the pre-Independence era, where our country was under seige or bondage, and people had captured us by force or the gun. Going on strikes, shutting down the country or not paying taxes against those people was considered cool. But in today's democracy, your leader is someone from among you. He is not from Japan or China or someplace else," she added.

(With IANS Inputs)