Is the Son of an MNS Leader Really Above the Law?

Mumbai, July 8 (NationPress) A new political scandal has emerged in Maharashtra as Raheel Sheikh, the son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) state Vice-President Javed Sheikh, was recorded on video allegedly verbally assaulting social media influencer Rajshree More after colliding with her car while under the influence and flaunting his political ties. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged at the Amboli Police Station against Raheel Sheikh for outraging the modesty of a woman and negligent driving. He has been apprehended.

The footage, which emerged on Monday, sparked significant outrage and calls for a comprehensive investigation.

In the video, Raheel Sheikh is depicted shirtless and visibly intoxicated in a vehicle, hurling insults and threatening Rajshree More, a Marathi influencer. He also boasts about his father's influence within the MNS.

This incident, which took place in Mumbai, was recorded by More herself, who subsequently shared the video on her Instagram account. The clip quickly gained traction online, drawing sharp reactions from political leaders from various parties and resulting in Raheel Sheikh's arrest on grounds of outraging the modesty of a woman and negligent driving.

Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant commented on the situation, stating to IANS, "A police enquiry will take place and the truth will come out."

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal denounced the incident, labeling it a manifestation of the current state government's inability to curb the increasing trend of political entitlement among leaders' families.

"Every day, we witness politicians’ offspring engaging in such shameful acts. A similar incident occurred recently in Pune. These actions stem from the government's failure. We condemn this occurrence. The mindset behind this must be addressed with stringent measures," he told IANS.

Rajshree More had previously attracted attention for opposing what she termed the "imposition" of Marathi on non-Marathi speakers.

The backlash from MNS supporters following the incident led to the video being deleted after More issued a public apology in response to a complaint from party members.

This controversy arises amid escalating tensions surrounding language and identity politics in Maharashtra, with MNS supporters recently accused of assaulting non-Marathi speakers in their campaign against the imposition of Hindi in the state.

In response to the broader implications of the incident, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar stated to IANS, "The Constitution does not teach us to abuse, threaten, or physically assault others. Such matters should be settled through dialogue. We adhere to the Constitution. While living in Maharashtra, it is essential to respect the native language, Marathi. However, these issues are fundamentally different and should never be conflated."