Backing CISF constable Kulwinder, farmers to protest in Mohali today

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, June 8

Veer Kaur, mother of Kulwinder Kaur, the CISF constable who is in the middle of the controversy over allegedly slapping Mandi BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, speaking for the first time after the fiasco said, “Of course, my daughter mentioned me. Mai ki davani di haan? (Am I worth just a dime?)”

Veer Kaur maintained whatever her daughter did at the airport was right. However, she sought proof, refusing to believe that Kulwinder would slap anyone.

Can’t believe it

As long as I don’t see a video of her (slapping the actor), I will not believe it’s true. Let me see it with my own eyes that she slapped her (Kangana). Until then, I won’t believe. —Veer Kaur, Kulwinder’s mother

While the family has received support from farmers unions, Kulwinder’s brother Sher Singh and the family will be heading to Mohali tomorrow for a march to the office of SSP Mohali in support of Kulwinder. Hundreds of union members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, BKU Doaba, Ganna Sangharsh Committee, BKU Azad, Doaba Kisan Committee Azad, among others will also head to Mohali.

Meanwhile, responding to her daughter’s outrage over actor and MP Kangana Ranaut’s much-cited comment regarding women available for hire at Rs 100 during the farmers’ protests, Veer Kaur — while speaking to the media — said, “Zikar tan ohne karna si. Maa madi hove, changi hove… maa nu keh dita 100 rupiaye lai ke oh dharne te dihari te jandiyan. Mai ki davani di haan? (She would of course have mentioned the comment. No matter whether her mother is good or bad…when someone said her mother went for meagre money to the dharna on daily wages. I ask am I worth just a dime?)”

Veer Kaur said, “Whatever my daughter did at the airport, she did right. Her family and jathebandi (farmers’ organisations) stand with her.”

Veer Kaur said, “For such trying circumstances, I gave birth to my daughter. And for them, is this mother worth a dime? We went there (farmers’ protests) to take what is our right for our land, for our children, for our children’s future. Did we want to sit on the roads? We thirsted for water, burnt our skins in the heat, walked barefoot on hot afternoons on the roads.”

Kaur added, “My daughter went to school to study. I never got a complaint then. Never even a mention. Someone must have said something to her. As long as I don’t see a video of her (slapping the actor), I will not believe it’s true. She also spent 16 years in her job. Let me see it with my own eyes that she slapped her (Kangana). Until then, I won’t believe.”

Speaking chaste Punjabi, she said, “Je meri dhi ne nahi kiti, te nahi kiti. (If my daughter hasn’t done it, she hasn’t done it.) She isn’t impatient like that. Something must have been said to her.”