Didn’t assault any woman, says Mumbai mayor,blames MNS for brawl

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar blamed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers for the brawl,denied the allegations putted on him.

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar on Tuesday denied allegations of assaulting a woman in Santacruz, after a video of him allegedly doing so was circulated on social media.

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar denied allegations of assaulting a woman. (Twitter photo)

He blamed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers for the brawl. “I did not assault any woman,” Mahadeshwar said.

The incident took place on Monday, when Mahadeshwar went to pay condolences to the family of a mother-son duo who was electrocuted to death on Sunday. The two died after they came in contact with an electric current passing through their door.

On Monday, during the funeral, people allegedly heckled Mahadeshwar and questioned him for his absence on Sunday when agitated locals had undertaken a ‘raasta roko’ after the electrocution incident.

The video shows Mahadeshwar in a heated exchange with a woman who was asking him why he did not turn up after the incident. Following this, the video shows him twisting the woman’s hand and saying, “Dadagiri karu nakos, tu mala olkhat naahi.” (Don’t resort to hooliganism, you don’t know me). The woman can be heard asking him to not twist her hand.

“When we went to attend the funeral on Monday, a few drunk people tried to create problems. There were also MNS women workers who tried to stop us. I only tried to get in by pushing her hand away, when they formed a chain. I did not twist it [her hand].” On Tuesday, during a press conference, Mahadeshwar said, “I am the mayor and also a teacher. I would never do such a thing. MNS workers have caused this by provoking people against me.”

Akhil Chitre, a local MNS leader who shared the video on social media said: “The crowd was agitated as they had tried reaching out to the mayor but he did not respond.”

Rupali Chakankar, women’s wing president, Nationalist Congress Party said the Mumbai Police should take action against the mayor. Congress working president Yashomati Thakur demanded that Mahadeshwar be booked for outraging the modesty of a woman.