Other Bollywood stars should have come forward and dismissed Kangana Ranaut’s slander against Mumbai, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has written in his column ‘Rokhthok’ in party mouthpiece Saamana, terming the entire episode a ‘conspiracy’ to defame Mumbai.

Taking Akshay Kumar’s name, in particular, the editorial questioned why other Bollywood actors who have earned name and fame in Mumbai are silent. “Is Mumbai only for making money?” Raut asked mincing no words.

Questioning the silence of the Bollywood fraternity, Sanjay Raut compared Bollywood with the Pandavas who maintained silence while Draupadi was disrobed.

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Commenting on the ongoing probe into the SSR death case by Mumbai Police, Kangana Ranaut had compared Mumbai/Bollywood with Pak-occupied-Kashmir, which triggered a long-drawn battle between Kangana and Shiv Sena. Kangana alleged that she had received threats from Sena leaders after her comments on Mumbai, following which she was provided Y-plus security by the Centre. The day she reached Mumbai from her hometown Manali, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation razed an allegedly illegal portion of her Mumbai office. The matter has reached the Bombay High Court, which stayed the demolition drive. Kangana is scheduled to meet Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari on Sunday before she leaves the city.

While the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Maharashtra has distanced itself from the ongoing controversy, Shiv Sena is carrying forward the battle riding on Maratha pride. “Those who come to Mumbai to try their luck in this industry first stay on the footpath and then shift to Juju, Pali Hill and Malabar Hill to build their bungalows. All these people have always been grateful to the city and the state which allowed them to chase their dreams and make it big. They have never betrayed Mumbai but have also contributed to the growth of the city,” Saamana’s Saturday editorial noted.