She has no right to stay in state: HM
Amid the raging controversy over actress Kangana Renaut’s comparison of Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh not only condemned her utterances but said she had no right to live in the state. In a strongly worded reaction, Deshmukh hinted that strict action could be taken against the Bollywood actor. On the other hand, erstwhile allies Shiv Sena and the BJP, the latter having earlier praised Kangana for being an ardent proponent of Hindutva, found themselves on the same side.
The BJP, under attack for allegedly defending Kangana made a U-turn on Friday, saying she ought not to teach Mumbai, Maharashtra. or its people how to behave. BJP legislator Ashish Shelar disowned the statement of party spokesman Ram Kadam referring to Kangana as 'Jhansi Ki Rani'. Earlier, Kadam had demanded that the state government provide security to Ranaut.
Home Minister Deshmukh tweeted, ‘‘Mumbai Police is compared to Scotland Yard. Some people are tr ying to target Mumbai Police. An IPS officer has gone to court against this… Af ter her #KanganaRanaut’s comparison of Mumbai Police …she has no right to live in Maharashtra or Mumbai.’’ He further stated that strict action would be taken against her.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut too stepped up his attack against the actress, terming her a ‘mental case’ and said she could go to PoK. Raut further alleged that a controversy has been hatched to malign Mumbai. “She is spitting in the plate she eats from. There are some political parties supporting her,’’ he declared. Raut further said, "Let her go to PoK. The government should fund her two-day visit to PoK. If the government does not, we are ready to bear the cost for her trip to PoK. Also, our government says that PoK is ours. So, what she is talking about. [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi Saheb has carried out surgical strikes in PoK. So, which side does Kangana stand? Is she on the terrorists' side? What is her mental state?’’
Further, Raut said, “Kangana's mouth is moving but the loudspeaker that is playing in the background is someone else's. There is a concerted effort to discredit Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra government. Why should anyone threaten her?” Af ter Raut’s outburst, Kangana reacted by tweeting, “Kisi ke baap mein himmat hai toh rok le (if anyone's father has the guts to stop me, then tr y it),” adding Maharashtra was not 'anybody's father's property'. Kangana targeted those criticising her for recent posts on Twitter, saying, “Maharashtra belongs to only those who have strengthened the Maratha pride and I can say with confidence I am a Maratha.”
On Thursday, she had accused Raut of openly threatening her against returning to Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena’s ruling ally, the Congress had accused Kangana of being hand in glove with the opposition BJP to 'malign' the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in state and Mumbai Police. Party spokesman Sachin Sawant said, ‘’BJP MLA Ram Kadam says his party doesn't support any objectionable comments made by Kangana Ranaut.’’ "By equatingMumbai to PoK, the actress has insulted 13 crore Maharashtrians...and all those who love Mumbai, at the behest of BJP," Sawant alleged in a tweet. "We demand an unconditional apology from Devendra Fadnavis and the state BJP for their support to Kangana and party MLA Ram Kadam," the Congress leader said.