Mumbai: Close on the heels of Bollywood actor Kangana Kanaut comparing Mumbai with POK, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun demolishing actor Kangana Ranaut’s office in Bandra.
The development came barely hours after the BMC pasted a notice outside the office rejecting a reply filed by Kangana’s lawyer, Rizwan Siddique, to the Tuesday (September 8) notice in which the civic body had listed a series of violations in the ongoing works in her office.
The BMC claims that many alterations were carried out on the premises without due permission. JCB machine and other heavy equipment were sent to the site to demolish Kangana’s office.
The actor’s lawyer has filed a plea in Bombay High Court against the demolition drive by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at her property. The hearing of the same will take place at 12.30 pm today.
BMC’s version
Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that the action was taken by the BMC and not the Shiv Sena.
“Kangana was continuously making statements…she should mind her words. This is not Shiv Sena’s action but BMC’s. And it is taking action only after complaint.”
The BMC Executive Engineer said that he was satisfied that the (illegal) works were being carried out and the actress had failed to produce the permissions/approvals/sanction for it as per BMC laws.
“Therefore, the work carried out by you as mentioned in the notice schedule is declared as unauthorised,” said the Executive Engineer.
He also said that the ongoing work on the premises was not stopped and warned that it is “liable for forthwith demolition at your risk, cost and consequences”.
The notice also cautioned that the actress could face imprisonment of minimum one month up to one year besides penalties.
As per the notice, the violations include: merging of two bungalows, converting a ground-floor toilet into an office cabin, converting a storeroom into a kitchen, making an unauthorised pantry in the ground floor, adding toilets near the storeroom and a parking area, illegal partitions in first floor living room, an illegal meeting room in the “puja” room, converting a balcony into a habitable area besides a floor extension, etc.
The latest development came two days after a BMC team paid a surprise visit to her office and surveyed the premises at Bungalow No. 5, Chetan Row House, Nargis Dutt Road, Bandra West, on September 7.
The survey was followed by the notice to Ranaut to stop the ongoing works within 24 hours in her office of Manikarna Films on Tuesday. The bungalow, which Ranaut had bought three years ago, is listed as a residential property by the BMC.
Kangana reacts- This is what fascism looks like
“There is no illegal construction in my house, also government has banned any demolitions in Covid till September 30, Bullywood watch now this is what Fascism looks like#DeathOfDemocracy,” Kangana wrote through her verified account.
“I am never wrong and my enemies prove again and again this is why my Mumbai is POK now #deathofdemocracy,” she wrote with one image.
In another image, she wrote: “Pakistan…. #deathofdemocracy”.
“Babur and his army #deathofdemocracy,” she wrote while sharing pictures of the demolition squad.
“As I am all set for Mumbai Darshan on my way to the airport, Maha 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,” she added.
Meanwhile, several leaders have termed the BMC act of demolishing Kangana’s Bandra office as a ‘vendetta’.
Subramanian Swamy – “Tell Kangana to keep the faith. We are with her in this struggle,”
It may be recalled that 33-year-old, national award winning actor has been speaking about various issues plaguing Bollywood. She has been on the forefront seeking justice in the mysterious death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
In the same debate, Kangana happened to attack the Shiva Sena and also said that Mumbai feels like POK, which raged many including Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who used slur against the actor on camera.
Kangana had challenged Raut to stop her from entering Mumbai. The centre also provied Y-plus security to the actor considering these developments. Kangana is to reach Mumbai today.
