Mumbai, February 14 Hours after a viral video showed him "intervening" in a roadside dispute near Alibag, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said on Saturday that he had nothing to do with the incident and only advised the two quarreling locals to resolve their issues amicably.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut shared the video earlier in the day, alleging that land was being snatched in the coastal region, a popular weekend getaway for Mumbai residents.
The video showed a woman hitting a man who is with Narwekar. She mentions land. Later, Narwekar is seen talking to a woman and a man with her and leaving the premises, only to return and asking them not to fight.
Raut claimed in his post on X that government officials entered a person's premises at Mahtroli village and started measuring the land while there was a wedding in the family.
"You are snatching our land," Raut said.
In his clarification, Narwekar said while travelling to his own farm a couple of days ago, he saw two farmers engaged in an argument by the roadside. "I only advised them to resolve the matter peacefully and then proceeded for my work," said the BJP MLA.
He had no connection whatsoever with the dispute, he said.
Ramesh Patil, one of the farmers seen in the video, told reporters that Narwekar had nothing to do with the incident. "He was passing by and tried to resolve the issue," Patil said.
Several Bollywood celebrities and industrialists have farmhouses in Alibag which is one-hour away from South Mumbai by ferry and has a scenic coastline. The area is witnessing a real estate boom over the last two decades.
As per the election affidavit filed by Narwekar's younger brother Makrand Narwekar for the last month's Mumbai civic elections, he bought 27 land parcels in the area from 2022 to 2025.