Maharashtra govt had nothing to do with Kangana's office demolition: Pawar

Sharad Pawar defended the Maharashtra government, saying it had nothing to with the demolition of the alleged illegal alterations at Kangana Ranaut's office and the decision was taken by the BMC

NCP president Sharad Pawar defended the Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra on Friday, saying it had nothing to with the demolition of the alleged illegal alterations at actress Kangana Ranaut's office and the decision to do so was taken by the BMC.

He also suggested that bringing an ordinance could be an option after the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of a 2018 state law granting reservation to the Maratha community in education and jobs earlier this week.

Pawar said this could help avoid protests by the community, which is unhappy over the decision.

The Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, which also has the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress as coalition partners, is facing criticism over the demolition at Ranaut's office in Mumbai's Bandra by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) earlier this week, at a time when the actress was involved in a verbal spat with the Sena.

The BMC is controlled by the Sena.

Ranaut courted controversy after she recently likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and said she feared the city police more than the "movie mafia".

"The decision (to demolish the alleged illegal alterations at Ranaut's office) was taken by the BMC and the state government had nothing to do with it," Pawar told reporters here.

Earlier this week, the NCP chief had said undue importance was being given to the statements of the actress.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also hit out at the Maharashtra government after the apex court stayed the implementation of reservation for the Maratha community in education and jobs.

Countering the BJP, Pawar said the decision on Maratha reservation, which has been stayed by the Supreme Court, was taken by the then Devendra Fadnavis government.

"They (BJP) do not have any interest to find a solution to the problem. It seems that their idea is to disturb the social fabric of the state," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.