A privilege motion was moved against actor Kangana Ranaut in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday for her comment comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Hindustan Times reported.
A similar motion was also initiated against Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in both houses of the Assembly for his allegedly derogatory remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and some other politicians.
The privilege motion against Ranaut was moved by Congress leader Ashok Jagtap. He accused the actor of “defaming Mumbai”. He also spoke about drug abuse allegations against Ranaut, citing an interview of actor Adhyayan Suman from 2016. Suman had accused Ranaut of forcing him to take drugs.
Maharashra Legislative Council Chairperson Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar accepted the motion against Ranaut. “I have accepted the breach of privilege of motion,” he said. “In the absence of a committee for it, I am going to decide on it [the motion].”
Ranaut was on Monday provided her Y-plus security by the Centre during the row between her and the Maharashtra government. The controversy began after Ranaut claimed that Mumbai felt like Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and that she feared living in the city. She had also criticised the Mumbai Police for its handling of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.
Sanjay Raut, a senior leader of the state’s ruling Shiv Sena, had hit back at Ranaut and asked her not to return to Mumbai after her comments on security in the state.
Maharashtra government orders drug inquiry against Ranaut
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday said that the Mumbai Police would look into drug abuse allegations against Ranaut, The Times of India reported.
Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, meanwhile, claimed that the action against Ranuat was not politically-motivated. “Law is same for all citizens,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. “The actors who are given security are idols for society and any allegations against them should be taken seriously. If she is innocent, then action should be taken against the person who has levelled allegations against her. It will come out only after the probe.”
Ranaut said that she would cooperate with the police in the investigation. “I am more than happy to oblige,” she said in a tweet. “Mumbai police and Anil Deshmukh, please do my drug tests, investigate my call records if you find any links to drug peddlers ever I will accept my mistake and leave Mumbai forever, looking forward to meet you.”
Property trouble
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had on Tuesday served a anotice to Ranaut for alleged construction norms violations at her office in Mumbai’s Pali Hill, according to NDTV.
On Wednesday, Ranaut tweeted to say that she was on her way to Mumbai from Himachal Pradesh. “As I am all set for Mumbai Darshan on my way to the airport,” she said. “Maharashtra government and their goons are at my property all set to illegally break it down, go on! I promised to give blood for Maharashtra pride this is nothing take everything but my spirit will only rise higher and higher.”
Also read: Maharashtra CM criticises Kangana Ranaut for her remarks on living in Mumbai; BMC raids her office
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