Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra unit of Congress party have upped the ante over actor Kangana Ranaut’s remarks equating Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by attacking the actor and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been defending her.

Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the political party backing Ranaut over the comments does not have the right to seek votes in Mumbai. Congress secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant alleged that Kangana’s Twitter account is managed by the IT-cell of the BJP and that Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP should issue an unconditional apology over the issue.

In a tweet, Ranaut accused Raut of threatening her. She alleged that Raut had openly threatened her to not return to Mumbai if she has no faith in Mumbai Police. Kangana also added that Mumbai now looks like Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to her. The tweet said: “Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena leader, has given me an open threat and asked me not to come back to Mumbai, after Aazadi graffitis in Mumbai streets and now open threats, why Mumbai is feeling like Pakistan occupied Kashmir?”

Without naming the actress, the Sena leader said that Ranaut’s statements questioning the ability and the intent of Mumbai police is a “systemic campaign” to defame the city police.

“The Mumbai police have constantly saved the city in all types of challenges including 1992 riots, terrorist strikes, etc. If some people not connected to Mumbai are making such statements then this a systemic campaign to defame the Mumbai police. The state home minister and police chief should take strong action otherwise the morale of the Mumbai police will be affected.”

Sawant said that Kangana Team, the official handle of the actor, equals to “Kangana + BJP IT Cell”. “For the past few days, Kangana Ranaut through the IT Cell has been continuously defaming the Mumbai police. Now, she has compared Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir and insulted Maharashtra. Instead of condemning her actions, BJP’s Ram Kadam is supporting her, which is utterly shameful,” he said in a statement.

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Raut, meanwhile, refrained from naming the BJP and said, “Any political party, backing the one calling Mumbai, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, does not have the right to seek votes in Mumbai and Maharashtra. Their representatives, who are elected from Mumbai, have they been voted in by people from PoK? That party should clarify this and they should be ashamed of equating Mumbai to Pakistan. Does this mean that Mumbai police is Pakistan police?”

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The Sena leader indirectly said that the actor should seek mental help.

“I will not name anybody if somebody is saying that I issued a threat, I would say this that I never give empty threats. We don’t do such things; I am a Shiv Sainik, and an action-oriented person… Such mental cases have increased in Mumbai; they should be treated by the health department and the home minister should immediately take action against people, no matter how big they are, for defaming the Mumbai police,” Raut told reporters in Mumbai.