Elections 2019: Urmila Matondkar demands police protection

Urmila Matondkar pays close attention to a localu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s woes while campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at Sanjay Gandhi National Park's Adivasi pada, in Borivli, on Sunday. Pic/Satej Shinde

The Congress' Mumbai North candidate Urmila Matondkar has demanded full-time police protection after a scuffle broke out between BJP and Congress party workers at the site of her rally outside Borivli railway station on Monday morning. While she has alleged that it was the opponent party's deliberate attack to sabotage her rally, BJP's Mumbai North candidate Gopal Shetty has issued a statement saying that it was Congress' desperate attempt to gain sympathy after realising that they are losing ground.

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Matondkar was addressing a rally at SV road around 10 am when "some BJP party workers began shouting slogans," she said, adding, "Some of them started behaving maliciously with vulgar dance moves. This is blatant violation of model code of conduct. More so, it is disrespectful to any woman," said Matondkar during a press conference later in the day.

Congress party workers soon intervened. "I may be new to politics but not naïve. Everybody has the right to register their opinion but there is a way to do it. Nothing can justify the violence portrayed by the BJP party workers, not just today but since the time my name has been announced. This incident is proof that women are not safe here," said Matondkar.

A complaint letter has been submitted to the Borivli police station with the Bollywood actor demanding full-time police protection. Matondkar also plans to report the incident to the Election Commission.

Completely denying the presence of party-workers at the spot, Shetty's statement said that those were regular local commuters who are Modi supporters. "During that rally, local commuters started chanting Modi slogans. This angered Congress workers and they attacked the innocent commuters. People of this country have the right to express their views. Nobody can assault them for it," Shetty's statement read.

Watch video: Urmila Matondkar plays cricket with youngsters in Charkop

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