The complaint was submitted to the Worli police station on Wednesday by Zen Sadavarte, daughter of advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte, they said. The incident occurred in the upscale Worli area on Tuesday during a rally organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party to target opposition parties over the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill to fast-track the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
An agitated woman confronted Mahajan, who was speaking to reporters, shouting at him for blocking roads and causing inconvenience to commuters. “Get out of here. You are causing a traffic jam,” she said, asking why the rally could not be held at the nearby open ground.
In her complaint, Sadavarte said the woman created a ruckus, using abusive language, obstructing the rally and causing public disturbance. “Insult to hard-working police officials, public representatives, Connstitution and constitutional mechanism won’t be allowed in this country,” she told reporters.
Sadavarte has urged the police to register a case against the woman under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including 221 (obstructing public servants on duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 352 (intentional insult), 195 (assaulting or obstructing public servant) and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), they said.
Earlier, Mahajan had said that the woman’s anger was justified to “some extent”. He, however, had emphasised that her language was inappropriate, ruling out any legal action against her. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, who belongs to the BJP, had expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to commuters due to the rally.
Police have registered a case against the rally organisers for alleged violation of norms, marking a parallel line of inquiry into the disruption caused during the event and its impact on public movement.
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