Journalism of Courage
‘Signature mahaprasad’: Influencer made to apologise over Raj Thackeray remarks
Social media influencer Mahesh Mote was forced to apologise after his comments about the MNS chief triggered backlash.
The MNS activists smeared Mote’s face with black paint, made him do sit-ups with a slipper on his head, and forced him to apologise. (Express Photo)
Activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Pune “punished” social media influencer Mahesh Mote Sunday over his alleged remarks against party chief Raj Thackeray in a video about a month ago.
The MNS activists smeared Mote’s face with black paint, made him do sit-ups with a slipper on his head, and forced him to apologise.
About a month ago, Mote posted a video in which he questioned why he was mocked in the comments section for shaving off his moustache, while political leaders were spared similar taunts.
“If after removing my moustache, people are taunting me as a transgender in the comments, why don’t you say the same towards political leaders, like Raj Thackeray, who had removed his moustache for so many years?” he asked.
His remark drew sharp backlash online, forcing Mote to reportedly leave Pune for Keralam.
On Sunday evening, after Mote returned to Pune, MNS activists confronted him at a park in Katraj and took him to the party’s local office, where they made him apologise by prostrating before a photo of Thackeray.
Shubham Jagdale, Deputy Division President of the MNS’s Hadapsar Assembly constituency, defended their action against Mote.
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Jagdale said Mote was given the party’s “signature mahaprasad” treatment for his comments against Raj Thackeray. He warned that anyone who makes similar remarks will receive an equally “fitting, tit-for-tat reply” from the party.
Mote later posted a video on Facebook, repeating his apology.
“I made a huge mistake by making objectionable remarks against MNS chief Raj Thackeray, and I will never speak ill of him or the party again. I apologise, and I will not make such videos against any political leader in the future,” a teary-eyed Mote said in the video.
He added that MNS workers had not bullied him, and that he was facing the consequences of his own actions.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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