Mayor Ritu Tawde Defends Coastal Road Safety Inspection After Social Media Trolling
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde recently defended her public safety inspection at the Coastal Road during a monsoon high tide, following social media criticism that accused her of turning a safety warning into a photo opportunity.
Tawde asserted that her actions were motivated by a duty to protect citizens, particularly children, from dangerous sea waves rather than a desire for online publicity.
During her monsoon inspection of the Coastal Road, Tawde was seen scolding citizens who were sitting on the sea walls during high tide, warning them against risking their lives in the rough sea conditions. Video clips of the encounter subsequently went viral on social media, with several users accusing the Mayor of creating content and staging a "photo-op."
In response to the online backlash, Tawde released an official video on social media to clarify her actions. She explained that she decided to step down to the Coastal Road after noticing small children sitting dangerously close to the edge of the railing while massive sea waves lashed the area.
"I was trolled regarding what the Mayor was doing on the Coastal Road. I went down to the Coastal Road because I saw small children sitting on the edge of the railing. The sea waves were so huge that they could have swept those children away. That is why I stepped down there," Tawde said in the video.
The Mayor emphasized that her visit was a matter of responsibility toward the residents of Mumbai and not an attempt to gain social media fame. She stated that she went down for her fellow Mumbaikars as a servant of the city, adding that she did not do it to be a "Reels star" and that Mumbaikars would ultimately decide her intentions.
Highlighting her political background, Tawde described herself as a grassroots worker (karyakarta) who rose to become a corporator and eventually the Mayor. She stated that her background as a grassroots worker drives her to take to the streets and work directly through public movements.
