Uddhav jumps into Kangana controversy; Fadnavis defends actor

Actor Kangana Ranaut and her Twitter posts have provided a new fighting ground for Shiv Sena and the BJP to settle old scores.

While the ruling Shiv Sena is going all out against the actor for her remarks on Mumbai Police, the BJP has asked the government to think of her safety first as she takes on “Bollywood drug nexus”.

Shiv Sena supremo and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray himself took the lead on Monday to launch a verbal attack on the actor. Taking a swipe at Kangana’s “Mumbai feels like PoK” comment, Uddhav said, “some people don’t have gratitude for the city where they earn their livelihood.”

Kangana Ranaut had recently tweeted comparing Mumbai with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. Ranaut had also said that she feared Mumbai Police more than ‘movie mafia’ and would rather take protection from the Centre or Himachal Pradesh as she takes on an alleged “drug mafia in Bollywood”.

Notably, the Centre on Monday granted Y-plus security to Kangana. Meanwhile, former Maharashtra CM and leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis said ‘Kangana definitely needs protection’.

When asked about what he thinks about Kangana Ranaut’s statements against Maharashtra and Mumbai Police, Fadnavis said, “No one will support what Kangana said. Even we have condemned it. But that doesn’t mean we are living in the Banana Republic. If you don’t agree with her, it is still the responsibility of the state to protect every citizen.”

Related news: Kangana claims civic body may demolish her Mumbai office

Meanwhile, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that ‘it was disheartening and surprising to see that a person who has discredited Maharashtra was provided with a Y-plus security cover.’

Another Maharashtra cabinet minister Vijay Wadettiwar, claimed that the Centre was supporting her for their political motives. He claimed that the controversy over the Sushant Singh Rajput case and Kangana Ranaut will go on till the Bihar elections are held.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “The Modi government takes good care of its supporters and people to take their agenda ahead.” Sawant said that Kangana should reveal details to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) about the presence of “drug mafia in Bollywood”.