'Was This The First Rally In Public?': Girish Mahajan Reacts To Confrontation With Woman In Worli

Last Updated:April 22, 2026, 14:02 IST

Girish Mahajan told CNN-News18 that the woman who confronted him during the Worli protest was “frustrated” due to traffic. He also apologised for making people wait.

Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Wednesday reacted to a viral confrontation with a commuter during a protest in Mumbai’s Worli area, accepting that people in the area had to wait for the rally to pass. However, he also opined that such a rally had not taken place for the first time.

The minister apologised and said the woman involved in the row was “frustrated" due to being stuck in traffic, and that he would comment further after gathering more details.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Mahajan said, “That lady was frustrated because of being stuck in traffic."

He added, “I will take more information and speak on it later," and refused to comment further on the incident at that stage.

The brief response came a day after visuals of the confrontation surfaced online, drawing sharp reactions and triggering a wider political debate over protest methods and public inconvenience.

Speaking further on the incident, Mahajan said, “Yesterday, a protest was being held over the Nari Shakti Bill. During that time, a woman came there and said, ‘How can you do this? How can you protest on the road? Go to a ground and do it.’"

“We tried our best to explain things to her, but she did not understand. Instead, she threw a water bottle at the women participating in the protest," the minister said.

“The kind of language she used was not right at all. Yes, such marches can cause traffic jams, but this march was for the rights of women."

“She could have used civil language, she could have lodged a complaint with the police, but she got extremely angry. Her anger itself is not wrong, but the language used in that anger was wrong. Was this the first time such a protest has taken place?"

“I accept that people had to wait for an hour, and for that, I apologise," Mahajan said.

WHAT HAPPENED IN WORLI

According to news agency PTI, the incident occurred on Tuesday during a demonstration organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies in Mumbai’s Worli area.

The protest targeted Opposition parties, including the Maha Vikas Aghadi, over the failure of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha.

The rally led to significant traffic congestion, prompting an agitated woman to confront Mahajan while he was speaking to reporters.

According to the report, the woman shouted, “Get out of here. You are causing a traffic jam," and questioned why the protest could not be held at a nearby open ground instead of blocking public roads.

The situation escalated when she returned and continued her outburst, saying, “Did you not understand? What is wrong with you? There are hundreds of people waiting."

When a police official attempted to intervene, she reportedly refused to engage and demanded that no one speak to her.

The exchange, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media, amplifying criticism of the protest and its impact on daily commuters.

POLITICAL REACTIONS FOLLOWED

The incident soon took a political turn, with Opposition leaders criticising the BJP’s approach.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal shared the video, alleging that the ruling party’s campaign on women’s reservation exposed its “real face".

Former state Congress chief Nana Patole also reacted, saying ordinary citizens were being harassed due to the BJP’s “drama" and that the woman’s anger reflected broader public frustration.

PROTEST OVER WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL

The demonstration was part of the BJP’s campaign against Opposition parties over the failure of the Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

The bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, receiving 298 votes in favour and 230 against.

Opposition parties have argued that the proposed legislation, linked to a delimitation exercise, could reduce representation for southern states, an allegation the BJP has rejected.

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