"Too Drunk To Remember He Was Half-Naked, But...": Woman On MNS Leader's Son

Recounting her harrowing experience after a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader's son rammed his car into hers and then abused and threatened her, nail artist Rajshree More has said the man was so drunk he couldn't remember he was half-naked, but could still recall how influential his father is. 

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Monday, Ms More said she feels she is being targeted and is afraid of stepping out of her house. She also made an appeal to MNS chief Raj Thackeray, urging him to ensure his workers don't target non-Marathi people, and said Mumbai's diversity makes it the successful metropolis it is.

Ms More said she was returning home from Goregaon in Mumbai when an SUV rammed her car in Andheri. The man driving the SUV was Rahil Sheikh, son of MNS Maharashtra Vice President Javed Sheikh, and the nail artist recorded what followed on her phone. 

"The driver of the SUV was ramming my car repeatedly. The first time, I thought it was a mistake, but I was targeted again. I am not sure if I was being followed. I entered a small lane near my house which is wide enough for only one car and then it was easier for the other car to target mine. I asked my driver if our car was locked and then spotted two constables and asked them for help. They sat in my car and it was rammed again," Ms More recalled. 

The nail artist said the police tried to stop the man in the car, but he did not slow down. When he was finally made to stop, he was asked for his keys and refused to cooperate. 

'Misbehaved With Cops'

"When his ID card was taken, we realised his name is Rahil Sheikh. The moment he saw me, he started abusing me. That's when I started recording. He was drunk and half-naked. His pants were also slipping off. He did not remember he was half-naked, but he still could recall who his father was. He abused me and threatened me, saying I would have to pay for what I was doing. He said 'I am from the MNS, my father is from the MNS. Go to the police station, you will figure out who I am. Take money for the damage from Raj Thackeray's house'," she said. 

Ms More said when Sheikh was taken to the police station, he abused personnel there and put his legs up on the table. Sheikh also told the police personnel, she claimed, that his father would 'buy' them all. 

Video Row

The nail artist had a run-in with MNS workers last week as well, after she posted a video speaking out in support of people from other states in the wake of members of the party beating up a shopkeeper near Mumbai. Ms More, who is Marathi herself, had said that, instead of trying imposing the language on others, Marathi-speaking people should be taught how to work hard.

A group of MNS workers took offence and filed a complaint against her, after which she deleted the video. 

"I am very scared now. I am afraid when the doorbell rings and I also think twice about stepping out of the house. I am being targeted because a Marathi woman spoke up for people from other states... I haven't asked for any security yet, but I will discuss this with my lawyer," she said.

Message For Raj Thackeray

Asked if she had any message for Raj Thackeray, Ms More said in Marathi that she believes everyone who lives in Mumbai is her brother or sister and the city would lose its character if people from other states were asked to leave. 

"Raj Thackeray saheb, I am not saying this about you, but it is not right to beat up and bully migrants. I am being targeted and I am afraid of stepping out of my house. I am not in support of the BJP, the Congress, Shiv Sena, or even the MNS - I have nothing to do with politics. Nearly 50 people work for me, of which 35 people are Marathi and the rest are hard-working people from other states," she said.

"Mumbai is our mother, she takes care of everyone. She does not leave anyone hungry. Everyone who comes to Mumbai does so to work hard and feed themselves. If you are so worried about Marathi people, there are several women in the community whose husbands are addicted to alcohol and beat them up. There are many whose husbands have left them. Please help them. Only having people who speak Marathi will not make Mumbai better," she added.

Making an appeal, she said, "I have one request. Please stop the trouble this Marathi girl is facing. If anything happens to my life, family or my business, the political party that is targeting me will be responsible."

Ms More said she had deleted her earlier video because a leader of the MNS had threatened to destroy her studio if she did not do so. She asserted, however, that she did not apologise because she had not done anything wrong. 
 

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