On its part, the BJP said that it does not support Ranaut's statement
Actor Kangana Ranaut's comment comparing Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) has drawn ire of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in Maharashtra, with leaders from Shiv Sena and Congress targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for defending the actress.
Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the political party backing Ranaut over such comments does not have any right to seek votes in Mumbai.
"The Mumbai police have constantly saved the city in all types of challenges including 1992 riots, terrorist strikes, etc. If some people not connected to Mumbai are making such statements, then this a systemic campaign to defame the Mumbai police. The state home minister and police chief should take strong action otherwise the morale of the Mumbai police will be affected," Raut said, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
"Any political party, backing the one calling Mumbai, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, does not have the right to seek votes in Mumbai and Maharashtra. Their representatives, who are elected from Mumbai, have they been voted in by people from PoK? That party should clarify this and they should be ashamed of equating Mumbai to Pakistan. Does this mean that Mumbai police is Pakistan police?" Raut added.
Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, meanwhile, said that the Twitter handle, Kangana Team is equal to "Kangana + BJP IT Cell."
"For the past few days, Kangana Ranaut through the IT Cell has been continuously defaming the Mumbai police. Now, she has compared Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir and insulted Maharashtra. Instead of condemning her actions, BJP’s Ram Kadam is supporting her, which is utterly shameful," Sawant said in a statement.
Earlier, state minister Anil Deshmukh too had reacted to Ranaut's comment, stating that the actress does not have any 'right' to live in Maharashtra or Mumbai.
On its part, the BJP said it does not support Ranaut's statement. Speaking to India Today TV, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said the actress should not "try to teach Mumbai, Maharashtra and its people how to behave."
"We also request Sanjay Raut not to try and attack BJP and misdirect the investigation in the death case of Sushant Singh Rajput. We also want to tell Sanjay Raut to stop deviating attention," Shelar told the news channel.