Shweta Tiwari calls out vulgar abuse by MNS supporters on social media
Synopsis
Shweta Tiwari did not stay silent. In a pointed Instagram call-out, the actress alleged that MNS supporters sent her vulgar abuse online — and then asked Raj Thackeray directly whether he finds that acceptable. Her posts reframe a personal attack as a question about what Marathi identity actually stands for.
Key Takeaways
Shweta Tiwari posted on Instagram Stories on 21 August condemning vulgar online abuse she allegedly received.
She claimed the abusers identified as supporters of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray .
Tiwari, who has lived in Maharashtra all her life, said she grew up believing Marathi culture respected women's dignity.
She directly asked Raj Thackeray whether he considers such behaviour acceptable from his supporters.
Neither MNS nor Raj Thackeray had publicly responded at the time of publication.
Television actress Shweta Tiwari has publicly condemned the online abuse she allegedly received from individuals she identified as supporters of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, using her Instagram Stories on 21 August to address what she called a 'deeply concerning and unfortunately very common' pattern of misogynistic abuse against women on social media.
What Shweta Tiwari Said
The actress, best known for her role in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, shared a series of detailed notes questioning how men — including those who are educated and from reportedly respectable families — could resort to using the most degrading language against women online. She wrote: 'Any man from any background can come online and call a woman r. And what shocks me is that these men are not necessarily uneducated or from troubled backgrounds. Many of them are educated, seemingly come from respectible families, have wives, mothers, daughters and sisters. And yet feel completely comfortable using the most degrading word they can think of for another woman.' (sic)
The MNS Connection She Raised
Tiwari alleged that at least one of the individuals who abused her identified as a supporter of Raj Thackeray or his party. Drawing on her personal ties to the state, she noted that her father was raised in Mumbai and that she had spent her entire life in Maharashtra. She wrote: 'I have lived in Maharashtra all my life… I grew up believing that Marathi culture respected women, their strength and their dignity.' She then directly addressed Thackeray: 'Raj Thackeray, if people like this are your supporters, then I would genuinely like to know, do you believe this is acceptable behaviour? Because speaking Marathi, calling yourself a Marathi manus or claiming to love Maharashtra is not enough.'
The Broader Point on Online Misogyny
Tiwari's posts went beyond her personal experience, framing the abuse as a systemic issue that affects women across age groups and professions. She concluded: 'A woman doesn't lose her dignity just because you don't know her. And she certainly doesn't deserve to be called r simply becaue you disagree with her, dislike her or feel entitled to abuse her. Respect women not only the women you love but women. Period.' (sic) Critics argue that high-profile cases like this one expose how online anonymity continues to embolden misogynistic behaviour, even among individuals who publicly claim cultural or political identities rooted in respect.
Earlier in the News
Tiwari had recently made headlines for a separate matter — she shared a video claiming she found a cockroach in a Red Bull can ordered through Instamart, saying: 'We ordered Red Bull from Instamart, and we also received a cockroach with that.' Neither MNS nor Raj Thackeray had publicly responded to her social media posts at the time of publication.
Point of View
But accountability — and from a named political figure. By invoking Marathi identity and addressing Raj Thackeray directly, she shifted the conversation from celebrity harassment to a question of political culture. That is a harder thing to ignore than a generic appeal against trolling. Whether Thackeray responds or stays silent, the framing puts MNS in an uncomfortable position: its cultural brand rests on Marathi pride, and Tiwari has publicly argued that pride and misogyny cannot coexist. Mainstream coverage has focused on the actress; the more pointed story is the silence from the party.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shweta Tiwari call out Raj Thackeray on social media?
Shweta Tiwari alleged that individuals who identified as supporters of MNS chief Raj Thackeray sent her vulgar and degrading messages online. She used her Instagram Stories to ask Thackeray directly whether he considers such behaviour acceptable from his supporters.
What did Shweta Tiwari write in her Instagram posts?
Tiwari shared a series of detailed notes condemning misogynistic abuse on social media. She questioned how educated men from seemingly respectable families could use degrading language against women, and expressed disbelief that people who proudly identify as 'Marathi maanus' would send such messages to women's inboxes.
Has Raj Thackeray or MNS responded to Shweta Tiwari's posts?
As of the time of publication, neither Raj Thackeray nor the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had issued a public response to Tiwari's Instagram posts.
What is Shweta Tiwari's connection to Maharashtra?
Tiwari has lived in Maharashtra all her life and her father was raised in Mumbai. She said she grew up with deep respect for Marathi culture and its tradition of honouring women's dignity and strength, which is why the alleged abuse from self-identified Marathi supporters shocked her.
Is this the first time Shweta Tiwari has been in the news recently?
No. Shortly before this controversy, Tiwari made headlines after sharing a video in which she claimed to have found a cockroach in a Red Bull can ordered through Instamart. The current social media abuse episode is a separate and more recent development.
