Mumbai Police: Complaint Raised, No FIR Against Woman Who Confronted Minister

A complaint has been filed on Friday against a woman who confronted Maharashtra minister of water resources Girish Mahajan during a traffic jam caused by a BJP rally in Mumbai’s Worli with many critics saying she is now being targeted for speaking out.

The complaint was lodged on Wednesday at the Worli police station by Zen Sadavarte, daughter of advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte. She claimed that the woman created a disturbance, used abusive language, obstructed the rally and disrupted public order.

She requested police to register a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 221 (obstructing a public servant), 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from duty), 352 (intentional insult), 195 (assaulting or obstructing a public servant), and 353 (statements leading to public mischief).

In a viral video, the woman appears visibly upset after being stranded in traffic and confronts the minister and police officers at the scene. She questions why a political rally was allowed to block a major road during peak hours and asks who had granted permission. She asks Mahajan why people like them have to be affected for political events when they are busy with their own problems.

As police attempted to intervene, she continued to criticise the handling of the situation. She accused officers of facilitating the rally instead of managing traffic or diverting vehicles, leaving commuters stranded. She is also heard raising concerns about delays to ambulances and workers, urging officials to do their duty rather than prioritise political events. Officers later escorted her away.

In a recent post, Mumbai Police wrote that no FIR was registered against the woman. "We request you and everyone to verify the facts from official channel before posting on social media and refrain from spreading misinformation."

The incident took place on Tuesday during a BJP rally protesting the defeat of a Constitution Amendment Bill intended to fast-track 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Mahajan later said the woman’s anger was justified “to some extent”, though he described her language as inappropriate. He had seemed to suggest that no legal action would be taken.

The complaint has since drawn political criticism. Anish Gawande, national spokesperson of NCP (SP), described the woman as “brave” and accused the ruling party of suppressing dissent. In a post on X, he said the BJP considered disrespect to a minister “unacceptable” while “disrespect to the people of Mumbai is totally acceptable”. “The sheer arrogance and entitlement of the party in power should disgust you and me,” he wrote.  

It has shifted the attention from the traffic jam to what many described as a rare moment of an ordinary citizen openly challenging authority. Several users praised the woman as a symbol of “Nari Shakti” and commended her for demanding accountability. Others criticised VIP culture, which they said had caused the chaos.

One user said the incident reflected justified public anger, while another said it highlighted long-standing frustration over road blockages and civic inconvenience. Others described her actions as an example of citizens pushing back against VIP culture and political disruption to daily life.

Several users said the confrontation reflected wider public frustration. “This is how we should deal with public servants, from any party,” wrote Debjit Sen (@debjitsen). Prashant Dhumal (@prash_dhumal) said people were tired of VIP culture that leaves ordinary commuters waiting, adding that the woman’s outburst showed public patience was wearing thin.

Opposition leaders have slammed the incident. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the BJP for disregarding commuters, asking why the rally was held on public roads during peak hours instead of at designated venues. She said the woman’s anger reflected the feelings of many Mumbaikars who face difficulties daily during travel.

Similar incidents in the past have highlighted the risks of political rallies disrupting traffic. In 2018, an ambulance carrying a critically ill newborn was delayed due to a rally in Haryana, with a later inquiry linking the delay to the infant’s death. In another case, a 44-year-old man died after his ambulance was blocked during a protest near Vithura, underlining the potentially fatal consequences of such disruption.

The incident has revived the debate over regulating protests and rallies in major cities. Courts have previously stressed that demonstrations should be held in designated areas to minimise disruption to public life. However, enforcement has often been uneven, particularly when large political rallies are held on busy roads.