Mumbai commuter berates BJP minister over jam
- A commuter angrily confronted Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan over severe traffic disruption caused by a BJP 'Nari Shakti' rally in Worli. - The viral exchange included the woman telling Mahajan to 'get out' and accusing organizers of blocking commuters. - The incident prompted public outrage and a ministerial statement after video circulated online (indiatoday.in).
A Mumbai commuter got out of her car in Worli and confronted Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan after a Bharatiya Janata Party rally snarled traffic. (indianexpress.com) The confrontation happened on Tuesday, April 21, during the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam” march in south Mumbai. Video shared widely online showed the woman telling Mahajan to “get out” and accusing organisers of blocking a public road. (cnbctv18.com) The woman was reportedly on her way to pick up her child from school when she left her vehicle and argued with Mahajan and police officers at the site. The New Indian Express said commuters were stranded for hours as the protest moved through Worli. (newindianexpress.com) The rally was organized after the Lok Sabha rejected a bill that sought to advance the implementation of women’s reservation and carry out delimitation without a fresh Census. Business Today reported that the march was part of a Bharatiya Janata Party protest over that defeat in Parliament. (businesstoday.in) The episode quickly widened from a traffic complaint into a fight over how political parties use Mumbai’s roads. Opposition leaders and activists said the road blockade showed “VIP culture” and asked police to act against organisers. (newindianexpress.com) Mahajan responded on Wednesday with an apology to commuters, saying he was “personally sorry” for the inconvenience caused by the rally. He also said the woman’s language toward party workers was “not correct” and argued that traffic snarls happen during large protests. (indianexpress.com) Police then registered a case against the rally organisers at Worli police station, saying permission had been granted for the march but some rules were violated. Reports said the rally drew about 15,000 to 20,000 women. (deccanherald.com) Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde also expressed regret after the video spread and criticism mounted. By Wednesday, the woman’s roadside outburst had pushed the ruling party from defending its march to apologizing for the jam it caused. (moneycontrol.com)
