Devendra Fadnavis lambasts Maharashtra government for demolishing part of Kangana Ranaut's Mumbai office.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday lashed out at Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government over razing of "illegal alterations" at the bungalow of actress Kangana Ranaut by BMC, terming the development "vendetta politics" and a kind of "government-sponsored terror" in the state.
Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said the state of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has not seen such a "timid and anti-democracy" government till now. He accused the state government of stifling voices of those holding a different view.
Kangana Ranaut vs Shiv Sena
The Shiv Sena and the actress have been locked in a bitter war of words since the latter likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), and said she feared the Mumbai Police more than the movie mafia after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Earlier in the day, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) team demolished "illegal alterations" at the actress' bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra with a bulldozer and excavators.
"The way a remark (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) which insults Maharashtra or Mumbai Police cannot be defended, similarly the government's such action (demolition) too cannot be defended. Maharashtra is being defamed due to such actions in the country," Fadnavis said in a video message.
He said the razed structure stood at the spot for quite some time, but no action was taken earlier.
"The action was taken only after the actress made the remarks," the former chief minister said. Why the Sena-controlled BMC is not taking action
against other illegal structure in the city, he questioned.
"Such action taken out of the sentiment of revenge does not suit Maharashtra and its rulers. In a way, there is a government-sponsored terror in Maharashtra," Fadnavis charged.
BJP accuses Shiv Sena of vendetta politics
Earlier, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led government of playing "vendetta politics". The Bandra West MLA told reporters that the action at Ranaut's bungalow was taken out of revenge.
"The BMC showed promptness in demolishing parts of the actress' bungalow. However, no such action is being taken against illegal constructions located some metres away from Chief Minister Thackeray's private residence 'Matoshree' in Bandra," he said.
"It is unfortunate that action is being taken only selectively. This is an egoistic government," he said.
Meanwhile, without taking Ranaut's name, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said "undue importance" was given to those making such statements.
"We will have to see what influence such statements have on the people at large. In my opinion, people do not take seriously (such statements)," the veteran leader told reporters.
Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur condemned the demolition, saying Ranaut "is a daughter" of the state and she should get a "proper atmosphere" to work in her field.
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