Kangana Ranaut-Sena row grows; Governor summons CM Uddhav's advisor for report to Centre

In a massive development in the Kangana Ranaut vs the Shiv Sena-controlled BMC spat, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has expressed his displeasure over the handling of the issue by the Uddhav Thackeray government. According to sources, Koshyari has summoned the Principal Advisor to CM, Ajoy Mehta, citing displeasure over BMC's action in the incident involving Kangana Ranaut. The Governor is expected to make a report and submit it to the Centre, sources added.

The Governor and CM Uddhav Thackeray have had a history of the difference of opinions over multiple issues, the lastest one being the conduct of final years exams for students amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

BMC razes 'majority of alterations' at Kangana's office

The Shiv Sena-ruled BMC on Wednesday pulled down "most of" the alleged illegal alterations at the Bandra office of Kangana Ranaut by the time the Bombay High Court ordered a stay on the process. According to a civic official, the demolition at Ranaut's Pali Hill office started around 11 am and continued for the next one-and-a-half hours, till the high court passed the order.

On Tuesday morning, the BMC had issued a stop-work notice to the "ongoing renovation and finishing work" of Ranaut's office on Nargis Dutt Road. On Wednesday morning, the civic body posted another notice outside her bungalow, informing her about the action it would be taking.

Kangana hits back at Uddhav

Kangana tweeted some of the videos and photos of the demolition process. "I am never wrong and my enemies prove again and again this is why my Mumbai is POK now," Kangana tweeted, soon after the demolition work began. The Bombay High Court later stayed the demolition saying the civic body's conduct was "malafide" and "deplorable".

Talking to reporters outside the actor's office after the stay order, her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui said, "The BMC is lying. It's lying on record (about illegal construction at the bungalow). They said they have given stop-work notice. But such notice is given when the construction process is underway."

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Ranaut's recent remark comparing Mumbai to Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir (PoK) has drawn the ire of the ruling Shiv Sena. She had said that she feared Mumbai Police more than the "movie mafia", and would prefer security either from Himachal Pradesh or the Centre.  The 33-year-old actor, who returned to Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon from her home state Himachal Pradesh, alleged that the Maharashtra government was targeting her because of her clash with the Shiv Sena. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is also said to have voiced his displeasure at the 'hasty' action in a face-to-face meeting with CM Uddhav at the latter's Varsha Bungalow on Wednesday evening.

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(With PTI inputs)