A frustrated commuter confronted Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan and police officials after a political rally led to heavy traffic congestion in Mumbai’s Worli area on Tuesday. The disruption occurred during a protest march organised by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the Mahayuti alliance.
The woman, who was on her way to pick up her child from school, was left stranded in traffic for several hours. Frustrated by the standstill, she stepped out of her vehicle, walked into the centre of the march and engaged in a heated exchange with Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan.
She confronted the organisers over road blockades and the inconvenience caused to commuters, demanding that the crowd disperse.
“Get out of here. You are causing a traffic jam,” she said, questioning why the rally could not be held at a nearby open ground.
As Mahajan attempted to calm her, she continued her protest, saying, “Did you not understand? What is wrong with you? There are hundreds of people waiting.” Pointing to an open space nearby, she added, “There is empty ground there.”
The commuter also directed her anger at the Mumbai Police. When officers tried to intervene, she insisted on speaking to senior officials and declined to engage further.
Police personnel later escorted her to the side of the road and attempted to hear her concerns.
The episode, captured on video, quickly circulated online, drawing criticism of the BJP’s protest.
Girish Mahajan, reacting to the viral video, said a woman who confronted protesters during the demonstration objected to the use of roads for the protest and used foul language, adding that “she could have used civilised language.”
“During the Jan Aakrosh protest, a woman came and said such demonstrations should not be held on roads and should instead be conducted in a ground. We tried to explain, but she did not understand and even threw a water bottle at the protesters,” he said.
“Such protests do lead to traffic disruption, but this was held for women’s rights. People could have used proper channels like filing a complaint. Her anger was excessive, and the language used was wrong. However, people did have to wait for around an hour, and I apologise for that inconvenience,” he added, while also stating that no action would be taken against the woman.
The demonstration targeted the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including the Congress and its allies, over the failure of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which sought to fast-track 33% reservation for women in legislative bodies, after it did not secure majority support in the Lok Sabha.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal shared the clip, alleging that the ruling party’s campaign on women’s reservations revealed its “real face”.
He accused the BJP of misleading women for political gain and using the issue to promote a “false narrative”.
Former state Congress president Nana Patole also shared the video, saying commuters were being inconvenienced due to the BJP’s “drama”.
He added that the woman’s reaction reflected broader public frustration and claimed that voters, particularly women, would respond similarly in the future.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media, drawing mixed reactions from users. Many came out in support of the woman, questioning the authorities and the disruption caused by the protest.
One user wrote, “I am extremely upset at the way the BJP protest was permitted. What were the police doing? Is this how citizens deserve to be harassed?”
The user further added, “I demand that those officers be issued a show cause notice and an FIR be registered against BJP leaders for blocking traffic."
Some users also praised the woman’s assertiveness. “I think women are better than men in our society,” one comment read, while another described the episode as “poetic,” noting that a protest on women’s reservation led to a woman confronting those involved.
However, others netizens criticised her conduct. “What kind of stupidity is this? People are making her a hero but see what she is doing,” one user wrote, adding that “she is abusing people, throwing garbage on the road and creating a ruckus,” and arguing that such behaviour should not be promoted.
Source: India Today
