Nail artist Rajshree More has spoken out, recalling her tiff with the son of a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader, who allegedly rammed into her car while intoxicated and later threatened her. Speaking to NDTV, More recounted the night she was attacked and expressed fear for her safety, saying she now feels targeted for supporting non-Marathi individuals.
“I’m very scared now. I think twice before stepping out of the house. Even the sound of the doorbell makes me anxious,” said More, who lives in Mumbai. “I feel I’m being targeted simply because a Marathi woman spoke up for people from other states.”
According to her account to NDTV, the incident occurred when she was returning home from Goregaon. As she reached Andheri, an SUV rammed into her car. The man behind the wheel was later identified as Rahil Sheikh, son of MNS Maharashtra Vice President Javed Sheikh.
“At first, I thought it was an accident. But then it happened again. I don’t know if I was being followed,” she said. “I entered a narrow lane near my home, it only fits one car, and that’s when he targeted me again.”
Sensing danger, More ensured her car was locked and approached two nearby police constables for help. “They sat inside my car. Even then, his SUV rammed into us again.”
More said the man refused to stop even when police tried to intervene. Once halted, he allegedly refused to hand over his car keys or cooperate. “When his ID card was checked, we found out his name, Rahil Sheikh. That’s when he saw me and began abusing me," she said.
Describing the confrontation, she said, “He was heavily drunk and half-naked, his trousers were slipping off. He couldn’t remember that, but he did remember who his father is. He abused and threatened me, saying I would have to pay for this.”
“He told me, ‘I am from MNS. My father is from MNS. Go to the police station and you’ll know who I am. Take money from Raj Thackeray’s house for the damage,’” she alleged in her NDTV interview.
At the police station, the situation allegedly worsened. More said Sheikh hurled insults at officers and arrogantly propped his legs on a table. “He told them his father would ‘buy’ them all,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Rajshree More has faced backlash from MNS supporters. Just days earlier, she had posted a video condemning an assault by MNS members on a shopkeeper near Mumbai. In the video, More, herself a Marathi, expressed solidarity with non-Marathi citizens and urged her community to focus on hard work instead of linguistic dominance.
“Marathi people should be taught how to work hard, not impose language on others,” she had said in the video. The post sparked outrage from MNS workers, who filed a complaint against her. Under pressure, More took the video down but remained firm. “I deleted the video because a leader threatened to destroy my studio if I didn’t. But I didn’t apologise, I said nothing wrong," she asserted.
Rajshree also made a direct appeal to MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, urging him to rein in his party workers. “Raj Thackeray saheb, I’m not blaming you, but it’s not right to bully or beat up migrants,” she said. “Mumbai is a city that thrives on diversity. If people from other states are forced out, it will lose its soul.”
Speaking in Marathi, she added, “I consider everyone in Mumbai my brother or sister. I don’t support any political party, not BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena or MNS. I employ 50 people, of whom 35 are Marathi. The rest are also hardworking individuals from other states.”
She also called on Thackeray to focus on real issues within the Marathi community. “If you care about Marathi people, help the women whose husbands are alcoholics or have abandoned them. Just speaking Marathi won’t make Mumbai better," said More. “I have one request – please stop the harassment this Marathi girl is facing. If anything happens to me, my family, or my business, the political party targeting me will be responsible," she added.
