Maharashtra women’s commission directs police to act on BJP MLA’s sexist remark

Mr. Dhas, who is at the forefront attacking NCP minister Dhananjay Munde and his close aide Walmik Karad over the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, had claimed that the duo had created “Parli pattern” where actors are invited for events. He also sarcastically said that Ms Mali, Rashmika Madana and Sapana Choudhary were well aware of the “Beed pattern” as they “keep going there”.

After the MLA’s comments, the social media was flooded with gossips about Mr. Munde’s relationships with the female actresses. Taking objection to the BJP legislator’s comments, Ms Mali had approached the SWC on Saturday. On the same day, she also met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has assured her of action against those behind objectionable videos against her on YouTube.

Terming Mr. Dhas’s remarks derogatory and in bad taste, Ms Mali said that she has met Mr. Munde only once when she had to Parli for a cultural event and award function organised by him. “In his bid for one-upmanship on the political terrain, Mr. Dhas has unnecessarily dragged my name. He must apologise,” she said.

Reacting to Mr. Dhas’s claim that he did not make any derogatory remarks, the actor said, “I am not stupid not to understand what the MLA was trying to suggest. Why did he take the names of three actors and all of them were females? When I attended the Parli event, there were male actors with me. He did not take their names. It is very easy to tarnish someone’s image by making such suggestive and loose remarks.”

Supporting the actor, the commission said that it was a serious issue and it has asked the Mumbai police commissioner to take an immediate action and submit a factual report.

However, the BJP MLA said that the Prajakta Mali issue was over for him now. Denying that he made any derogatory comment against the actor, the MLA said, “I am ready to face any consequences and answer all questions. For me the important issue is to get justice for Deshmukh’s family.”

Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured and murdered in Beed on December 9 allegedly for attempting to thwart an extortion bid on an energy firm. While four persons have been arrested so far, a political tussle is underway over Walmik Karad, who is an accused in the extortion case linked to the same company and a close aide of Mr. Munde. Mr. Munde’s opponents from all parties have demanded that Karad should be arrested in the murder case as the main conspirator.