Kangana Ranaut criticised for her Mumbai-PoK comparison

Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut's statement drawing parallel between Mumbai and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and describing the financial capital as "addicted to blood" has not gone down well in Maharashtra as it saw widespread protests and condemnation.

Leaders from Maharashtra’s political spectrum asked Kangana to leave Mumbai if she felt the city was not safe and good.

Also read: Kangana Ranaut joins Twitter, says the Sushant Singh Rajput case showed her the power of social media

The 33-year-old three-time National award winning actor's diatribe vis-a-vis death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput is continuing through her Twitter handle @KanganaTeam through which she is targetting the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government and its leaders, including the chief minister and his son Aaditya.

"Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has given me an open threat and asked me not to come back to Mumbai, after Aazadi graffiti in Mumbai streets and now open threats, why Mumbai is feeling like Pakistan occupied Kashmir?," she tweeted on Thursday.

Raut said such a statement is an insult to people of Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Several Hindi and Marathi cinema personalities have come down heavily on the actor, who hails from Himachal Pradesh.

On Friday, she sent out another tweet, saying: "I see many people are threatening me to not come back to Mumbai so I have now decided to travel to Mumbai this coming week on 9 September, I will post the time when I land at the Mumbai airport, kisi ke baap mein himmat hai toh rok le (sic)."

After seeing footage of Shiv Sena women activists hitting her posters with chappals, she said: “After Sushant and Sadhus murder now beating my posters with chappals for my opinions on administration, it seems Mumbai is addicted to blood”.

‘’Mumbai is part of Maharashtra because of the martyrdom of 106 martyrs. If people who have nothing to do with the city malign the city and its police ,the state government and the home minister who is in charge of the police force should take action else the morale of the police will take a beating,’’ Raut said.

Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik said that an offence of sedition must be lodged against Kangana. “Mumbai is our mother…we will not tolerate insults to our mother. Our women wing is capable of giving an answer,” he said.

Mumbai Congress leader Sajjan Trivedi said that Mumbai has taken her to new heights as an artist. “Her statement is condemnable and she must apologise,” he said.

MNS leader Ameya Khopkar said that his party workers are eagerly waiting to receive Kangana at the Mumbai airport. “However, our leader Raj Thackeray has taught us whom to give how much importance,” he said, suggesting that Kangana wants to gain publicity by pulling a crowd at the airport. Like Shiv Sena, the MNS too demanded that she should be booked under sedition.

Kangana targets home minister

Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh too criticised Kangana for her statement. “I strongly condemn allegations levelled by an actress on Maharashtra and Mumbai police force. Our Police forces are brave and capable of executing their duties and maintaining law and order across the state. Whoever doesn't feel safe here has no right to live here,” he said.

To this, however, Kangana tweeted: “He is taking his own calls on my democratic rights, from POK to Taliban in one day”.

BJP distances itself from Kangana

Meanwhile, BJP has distanced the party from Kangana’s comments. "Kangana should not try to teach Mumbai, Mumbaikars and Maharashtra. Sanjay Raut should not attack us through Kangana. BJP has nothing to do with Kangana. Dont link us to her statements,’’ BJP leader Ashish Shelar said.