Payback for poking fun? RJ Malishka served notice by BMC, may face Rs 500 crore defamation lawsuit
A still from the song in which the RJ criticizes the BMC for the sorry state of Mumbai during monsoon
Days after their video criticizing the civic body went viral, two Yuva Sena members have urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner to file a Rs. 500 crore-defamation suit against RJ Malishka and 93.5 Red FM.
The channel had recently posted a video featuring the RJ in which she critisized the BMC for the sorry state of Mumbai during monsoon.
The song, sung by Malishka, was titled ‘Mumbai tula BMC var bharosa nai ka’, which translates to, ‘Mumbai, don’t you have faith on BMC?’
The song struck a chord with both citizens and celebrities from the city, who could relate to the issues and were quick to share it on social media platforms.
Although the RJ does not name the BMC’s controlling party Shiv Sena in the song, the premise was enough to draw their ire.
On Tuesday, Sena leader Amey Ghole and Samadhan Sarvankar, son of Sena legislator Sada Sarvankar, met BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta and gave a letter demanding the BMC to take legal action against the radio channel.
They claimed that the radio channel and its host, Malishka, were unfairly blaming the BMC for problems that are not under its jurisdiction and suggested filing a Rs 500 crore defamation suit.
“It hurts us that Mumbai’s and the BMC’s image is unnecessarily taking a hit. The two main highways of Mumbai don’t come under the BMC and it is not responsible for Mumbai’s traffic or the functioning of its railways,” Savarkar told HT.
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.
Earlier on Tuesday, the civic body also sent a notice to the RJ’s mother Lily Mendonca after mosquitoes were found breeding at their Bandra residence.
The notice was issued under Section 381 (B) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) act after a routine survey of the RJ’s 6th floor flat at Sun-rise apartments in Pali Naka.
The mosquitoes, identified as Aedes mosquitoes, were reportedly breeding in a clay bowl kept under a pot as well as in plant pots kept indoor. Another resident of the building was also served a similar notice.
The ‘Sonu Song Pothole Mix With Malishka’ posted by Red FM:
