Amid speculation that the Maharashtra Government has written to the Mumbai Police to look into news reports that she had consumed narcotic drugs, actress Kangana Ranaut on Friday needled Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her “silence” and “indifference” over the “harassment” meted out to women by the MVA Government.
Kangana, who has been targeting the ruling Shiv Sena viciously ever since the alleged “illegal” portions of her bungalow at Bandra’s Pali Hill area was demolished on Wednesday, enlarged her target to single out Sonia, albeit in the guise of seeking the latter’s intervention in the issues related to her.
In one of the tweets put out by her during the day, Kangana said, “You have grown up in the west and lived here in India. You may be aware of the struggles of women. History will judge your silence and indifference when your own Government is harassing women and ensuring a total mockery of law and order. I hope you will intervene.”
“Dear respected honourable Congress president Sonia Gandhi ji, being a woman aren’t you anguished by the treatment I am given by your Government in Maharashtra? Can you not request your Government to uphold the principles of the Constitution given to us by Dr Ambedkar?,” Kangana asked.
Targeting the Shiv Sena and Congress, Kangana tweeted: "Great Balasaheb Thackeray one of my most favourite icons, his biggest fear was someday Shiv Sena will do "gutbandhan" and become Congress. I want to know what will be his feeling today looking at the condition of his party?"
Alluding to Kangana's comment on Sonia, Maharashtra Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said: "Origin matters! No surprise how BJP leaders can put their words in their mouths and use them for their vicious agenda!"
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who had earlier expressed his displeasure over the demolition of "illegal" structures of the actress' bungalow, distanced the MVA Government from the much-discussed "demolition", by saying: "The government has nothing to do with this. The BMC has taken action against her office. As per my information, BMC takes such action if rules and regulations are violated. The BMC explained that it is the corporation's decision. The BMC is fully responsible for this."
On Kangana's charge that the building where she lives at Khar belongs to Pawar and she bought the flat from his partner, the NCP chief dismissed the charge and said: "I have no connection with the building".
In a related development, former Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP, who had earlier come to the defence of Kangana on the issue of the demolition of parts of her bungalow, charged that the ruling Shiv Sena was concentrating more on Kangana than corona.
"Why was the whole issue given such importance? Kangana was not a national issue. You made it big. You (Shiv Sena) went and razed her office. Kangana's issue was blown out of proportion by you. She is not a political leader. You don't go to demolish Dawood's home but you demolished her place. They are concentrating more on Kangana than Corona," Fadnavis said.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said that the Sate Home department had sent a letter to the Mumbai police to inquire into the news reports that Kangana used to consume narcotic drugs.
Kangana has come under fire from various quarters for controversial statements comparing Mumbai to "Pak-Occupied Kashmir" and saying "it seems Mumbai is addicted to blood" and dubbing Bollywood as an 'Islam-dominated' film industry. There have also been protests erupted in Mumbai and other cities against the actress. Shiv Sena activists burnt her effigy and pictures in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Thane, Palghar, Nashik and other cities. On its part, the BJP too has distanced from Kangana's "anti-Mumbai" comments.
