Shobhaa De faces Tweet fury in Mumbai

"Maharashtra and Mumbai??? Why not? Mumbai has always fancied itself as an independent entity, anyway. This game has countless possibilities." Writer Shobhaa De’s this innocuous little comment on a social networking website have triggered protests, especially by the Shiv Sena.

On Thursday, Shiv Sena activists staged protests outside her house in South Mumbai.

De’s posting on Twitter came on close heels of the proposed creation of Telengana state carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

Later in the night she had clarified that her tweet was purely satirical and 'much misconstrued'.

"I suggest the political parties should concentrate on the potholes of Mumbai. Mumbai is a city of potholes. This is not only for the Mumbaikars but also for those who visit the city," she said.

But the Shiv Sena was in no mood to relent.

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Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, “Who is Shobhaa De? Shobhaa De belongs to the Page 3 culture of Mumbai. She has no understanding of the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra."

Joining issue with the Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray took a dig at the noted writer, stating that what she was proposing was not quite as easy as getting a divorce.

Terming socialite De's tweet suggesting separate statehood for Mumbai as "frivolous", Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said that the state will remain united.

"The comments are frivolous and shouldn't be taken seriously... Neither Mumbai nor Vidarbha will be separated from Maharashtra," the chief minister said, adding, "Unity is our strength."

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De, though, says she was happy to break her silence and does not feel intimidated.

"This (her tweet) is something which has to be strenuously defended and am happy to break the silence and I am not feeling intimidated," she said.

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