Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has been receiving a section of flak after she compared Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
While some threatened the actress and warned her to never come back to the maximum city, others batted for her freedom of expression.
Among the latter was journalist Rajdeep Sardesai who wrote on Twitter, “Friends, one may strongly disagree with what @KanganaTeam has said (as I do) but to threaten violence is simply unacceptable. Violence/hate of any form has no place. Mumbai, Maharashtra, this country have much bigger challenges before them.”
Kangana, appreciating the move replied in a sarcastic manner stating, “You posted WhatsApp meme n asked me to leave Mumbai now you are defending my right of free speech, little late in the day but I accept this gesture, I am a Bhakt but I have genuine respect for authentic liberals, impossible to find one here, hope you help by being consistent.”
In a subsequent tweet Rajdeep wrote back, “you have every right to stay in Mumbai! That’s why I said: jiyo aur jeene do: Mumbai belongs to ALL! Yes, it would be nice if you were more consistent in your regard though for the city police which remains amongst the best! Stay well.”
However, things sidetracked after this, as Kangana condemned the Mumbai Police once again of “protecting criminals” in late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s case and “Palghar lynching.”
Intervening her Twitter attack, RTI activist Saket Gokhale commented on Kangana’s tweet and wrote, “Without even getting into the details of the case - the basic fact is that Palghar doesn’t even come under the jurisdiction of @MumbaiPolice. Being ignorant is ok. Being ignorant & running a malicious targeted campaign on behalf of the BJP is utterly shameful.”
Last week, the Maharashtra government penalized 18 policemen in Palghar district, including one dismissal, in a fallout of the April 16 Palghar lynching case which claimed the lives of two sadhus and their driver.
On April 16 night, the victims -- Kalpavrikshagiri Maharaj, 70, his assistant Sushilgiri Maharaj, 35, of the Juna Akhada, and their driver Nilesh Telgade, 30, were waylaid when they were en route from Mumbai to Surat for a funeral during the lockdown.
Mistaking them to be robbers or kidnappers, a huge mob of over 800 tribals and villagers pounced on them with stones, sticks and sickles, and the trio later succumbed to grievous injuries -- sparking a nationwide political furore.
