Former Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar lost her temper on Friday while responding to questions about a controversial social media post linked to her account during a media interaction at KEM Hospital.
The incident occurred when Pednekar, who currently serves as the Leader of Opposition in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), visited the hospital to submit a representation to Dean Dr Harish Pathak regarding the growing trend of students filming social media reels on the medical college campus.
During the interaction, a journalist questioned her about a controversy from 2021 involving a post made from her X (formerly Twitter) account. The controversy arose after a social media user asked who had been awarded a civic body's Covid-19 vaccine supply contract. The user's question received a reply from Pednekar's account stating "Tuzya Bapala" ("to your father"), triggering criticism and political backlash at the time.
When asked about the episode, Pednekar reacted sharply, saying that she would not tolerate abusive remarks directed at her family. Speaking in an angry tone, she defended herself and asserted that she was a Shiv Sena worker who would not remain silent if someone used offensive language against her relatives.
Back in 2021, Pednekar had explained that the controversial response was posted by a party worker who had access to her mobile phone while she was attending a family function. The post was subsequently deleted after criticism intensified.
The exchange took place while Pednekar was raising concerns about social media content being created within the premises of KEM Hospital. She argued that although people may create reels to showcase their talents, students should not be filming such content on a medical college campus.
Her visit was prompted by the controversy involving MBBS student Sejal Pawar, whose remarks about male cadavers during a stand-up comedy show by Pranit More sparked widespread criticism.
Commenting on the issue, Pednekar alleged that Pawar had previously described KEM as "toxic" and "cheap" in some of her videos. While stating that the student's education should not be disrupted, Pednekar suggested that she could be transferred to another medical college.
She further stressed that cadavers are provided to medical students strictly for educational purposes and not for making insensitive comments, adding that the institution's dignity and professional standards must be maintained.
