MUMBAI : Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar has sought police protection after a fight broke out between Congress and BJP supporters while she was campaigning at a coastal suburb in Mumbai today. Ms Matondkar, who is fighting the national elections on a Congress ticket from North Mumbai constituency, blamed the rival party for “creating fear”.
“It’s being done to create fear. It’s just the beginning and may take a violent turn. I have asked for police protection as there’s a threat to my life. I’ve filed a complaint,” Ms Matondkar told news agency ANI.
While she was campaigning outside Borivali railway station, some BJP workers allegedly started shouting “Modi, Modi” and confronted the Congress workers. Soon, it led to a fight between the two groups.
Ms Matondkar then filed a complaint with the local police station.
“We were peacefully addressing people and from nowhere 15-20 people came and started shouting slogans. I didn’t react to it and thought these things keep on happening and signaled them to let go,” she told ANI. “But they all started vulgar dancing and using abusive language. They probably wanted to scare the women who were walking near us… Then a fight broke out and they even assaulted the women. From the first day I am saying their politics is of hatred.”
“I won’t let this happen in Mumbai,” Ms Matondkar added.
BJP has fielded its parliamentarian Gopal Shetty in North Mumbai constituency.
Ms Matondkar, 45, joined the Congress last month. She said she was in it for the long-term and wanted to fight against the politics of hate.
“I am taking my first step in active politics. I am from a family that has shaped my political views based on the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel. It is another matter that despite being from an academics-oriented family, I joined films. But I had social awareness right from childhood,” the actor-turned-politician had said after joining the Congress.
Mumbai’s six Lok Sabha constituencies will vote on April 29 along with 17 others in Maharashtra in the fourth phase of polling for the national elections that started on April 11. Results will be out on May 23.
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