Mumbai: Activists take to streets in support of RJ Malishka

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 22 (ANI): After popular RJ Malishka was asked to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000 for defaming the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) by posting a 'defamatory' video, a faction of activists on Saturday took to the streets as a mark of support to the former. Speaking to the reporters, WatchDog Foundation activist Nicholas Almeida said, "We have come out in support of RJ Malishka and we stand by her. The song which she has released is not wrong and it totally brings out the true picture of the BMC. We all pay our road tax timely, then why do we lack proper roads in Mumbai?" Slamming the BMC for issuing a notice to Malishka, the activist stated that there are few roads, which are in good condition; rest all need immediate repair work. "If Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in 'sabka saath, sabka vikas,' then we want it to also happen in our state too. There are very few roads which are in a good condition; rest all need immediate repair work. We commoners face all the problem, because we take the local transport. The condition of the road worsens in the monsoon season," the activist said. On July 19, two Yuva Sena members urged the BMC to file a Rs. 500 crore-defamation suit against RJ Malishka and 93.5 Red FM, after a video by the radio station poking fun at the organisation went viral. The RJ was then asked to pay a fine for "defaming" the BMC authority of Rs. 10,000. The song is sung by Malishka and is titled 'Mumbai Tula BMC var Bharosa nai ka', which means, 'Mumbai, don't you have faith on BMC?' Sena leaders, Amey Ghole and Samadhan Sarvankar, who is Sena legislator Sada Sarvankar's son, met the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta on Tuesday and gave a letter demanding the BMC to take legal action against the radio channel. They said the radio channel and its host, Malishka, were unfairly blaming the BMC for problems that are not under its jurisdiction. In the letter, they said that the video maligned the image of Mumbai and the BMC, and also dented the confidence of several thousand of BMC employees who work hard to keep the city afloat during the rains. (ANI)