Mumbai commuter confronts BJP minister over traffic jam caused by rally

A frustrated Mumbai commuter on Tuesday confronted Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan and police personnel after a political rally led to a heavy traffic jam in the Worli area. The traffic congestion took place during a protest march organised by the BJP, days after the Lok Sabha rejected a bill that sought to fast-track the implementation of women's reservation and conduct delimitation without a fresh Census. 

The woman was on her way to pick up her child from school when the incident took place. After hours of being stranded in traffic for hours, the woman stepped out of her car, walked into the march and had a heated exchange with the BJP minister. 

“Get out of here. You are causing a traffic jam,” the woman said, questioning why the rally could not be held at an open ground nearby. The minister's attempt to calm her failed as she said, “Did you not understand? What is wrong with you? There are hundreds of people waiting.”

Pointing to an empty ground nearby, the woman said, "There is an empty ground there." 

When a police officer intervened, she refused to engage and demanded that no one speak to her. She also confronted the organisers for the traffic blockade and the inconvenience faced by commuters, demanding that the crowd be allowed to disperse. 

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Opposition reaction to the video

Reacting to the video, Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that the BJP's campaign on women's reservation exposed its "real face". 

Sapkal accused the ruling party of misleading women for political gains and using the issue of women's reservation to push a "false narrative". Furthermore, he claimed that the Opposition INDI alliance has blocked "the BJP's attempt to alter Constitutional and electoral processes under the guise of reservation." 

Ex-Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said that ordinary people are being harassed due to the BJP's "drama," adding the women's reaction was indicative of growing frustration among the voters. 

Why is the BJP holding protests?

The BJP held protests against Congress and other Opposition parties over the failure to pass the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill) during their tenure.

At one such rally in Kerala, Union Minister Suresh Gopi was publicly confronted by a woman who asked him to leave, accusing him of causing a traffic jam. Congress responded by mocking the incident, calling it embarrassing for the BJP.