Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has dismissed rumors that she consumes beef, affirming her lifestyle as a proud Hindu. Refuting claims suggesting otherwise, Ranaut stated, ‘I don’t consume beef or any other kind of red meat. It is shameful that completely baseless rumors are being spread about me. I have been advocating and promoting a yogic and Ayurvedic way of life for decades now. Such tactics won’t work to tarnish my image. My people know me, and they know that I am a proud Hindu, and nothing can ever mislead them. Jai Shri Ram.’ The clarification from Ranaut follows online speculation alleging her beef consumption, triggered by an old tweet from 2019 discussing her yogic lifestyle. However, the authenticity of the tweet was contested, as it did not employ first-person language and was ambiguously worded. The allegations gained traction after Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, suggested that Ranaut had previously expressed fondness for beef in a tweet, linking it to her recent political affiliation with the BJP. Ranaut, who recently joined BJP and received a ticket to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh, expressed gratitude towards BJP for nominating her as their candidate. She pledged her allegiance to the party’s principles and conveyed eagerness to serve as a dedicated party worker and public servant. Several BJP leaders came to Ranaut’s support in view of the allegation. BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye stated, ‘Wadettiwar’s remark reflects Congress’ dirty culture. It cannot fight us on issues. This shows the party’s defeatist mentality,’ as quoted by PTI news agency. BJP leader Shaina NC also hit out at Vijay Wadettiwar, terming the party as ‘anti-woman’. ‘This is not the first time the Congress has made such ludicrous comments. Supriya Shrinate has said ‘mandi me kya rate hai’ and Randeep Surjewala talks about Hema Malini’s attributes despite her being the age of Sonia Gandhi…This Congress party is clearly anti-women,’ she said. The controversy surrounding Ranaut comes on the heels of another controversy involving Kangana, when a scantily-clad image of her with a derogatory caption was shared on Congress leader Supriya Shrinate’s Instagram account. The post was shared a day after the BJP named Ranaut as its candidate from Himachal’s Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Responding to Shrinate’s post, Ranaut emphasized the importance of dignity for every woman. She tweeted, ‘Dear Supriya ji, in the last 20 years of my career as an artist, I have played all kinds of women. From a naive girl in Queen to a seductive spy in Dhaakad, from a goddess in Manikarnika to a demon in Chandramukhi, from a prostitute in Rajjo to a revolutionary leader in Thalaivii.’ Shrinate later clarified that someone with access to her social media accounts had posted the objectionable content.