Kangana office demolition: BMC action in present situation creates doubts, says Sharad Pawar

"We are giving undue importance to those making such statements. We will have to see what influence such statements have on the people at large," Sharad Pawar told reporters.

Amid a row over BMC demolishing parts of actress Kangana Ranaut’s Pali Hill office, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar Wednesday said illegal construction in Mumbai was not a new thing and the action by the civic body in view of the present situation “gives space for creating doubts in the minds of people”.

“I do not have much information on the action taken by the BMC. However, illegal construction in Mumbai is not a new thing. In view of the present situation, taking action gives space for creating doubts in the minds of people. The BMC has its own rules and officers may have taken action as per what they felt was right,” Pawar, whose party is part of the ruling alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, said.

The Bombay High Court has stayed the demolition process initiated by the BMC for illegal construction at the actor’s bungalow after Ranaut moved the court challenging the notice issued by the Mumbai civic body. Ranaut had purchased the bungalow in 2017 and had renovated it in January this year.

Without naming the Bollywood actress, Pawar also said undue importance was being attached to the statements made by Ranaut, claiming people were not taking her remarks seriously.

“We give undue importance to people who make such statements. We need to see the impact of such statements. In my opinion, people do not take such comments seriously. The people of Mumbai and Maharashtra know the efficiency of the Mumbai Police,” he said.

“If someone talks about equivalence with Pakistan, there is no need to take the person seriously and no need to pay heed to such people,” Pawar said.

Kangana Ranaut and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut have been involved in a war of words after the actress had earlier compared “Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK)” and said she “feared Mumbai Police more than the movie mafia”.

She arrived in Mumbai from her home state Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday afternoon amid protests by Shiv Sena workers at the airport. Ranaut has been given Y-plus category security and is being protected by about 10 armed commandos. Launching a fresh salvo against the Maharashtra government, Ranaut warned Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that his “ego will be destroyed” just as he broke her house.

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