Raveena Tandon takes on ‘trolls’ questioning her privilege: Until 1991, I travelled in local, got eve-teased and pinched

Actor Raveena Tandon opened up about her experience of travelling in Mumbai using public transport after a user questioned her understanding of the struggle of the middle class in the city. Referring to Maharashtra deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis' decision to shift back the Metro 3 car shed to the Aarey forest in Mumbai, the user tagged Raveena alongside Dia Mirza who have been against the development. “Do elite @Deespeak @TandonRaveenaknow the struggle of middle class Mumbaikars?” read the tweet. (Also read: Raveena Tandon recalls taking a stand when media fat-shamed her)

Responding to it, Raveena shared that she was eve-teased and pinched, like many others, while travelling on local trains and buses. “Teen years, travelled in locals/buses, got eve teased, pinched, and everything that most women go through, earned my first car in 92. Development is welcome, we have to be responsible, not only a project, but wherever we are cutting through are forests, to safeguard environment/wildlife.”

In her next tweet, the actor added, “Everyone’s life is not a bed of roses. Everyone has struggled to reach somewhere. I’m sure you have a house/car too. The day heat waves/flooding/natural disasters strike, it’ll effect the common man first. Elitists will be the first to run away to their Swiss chalet.”

Further, she continued, “All development is welcome. All one prays is that more is done to compensate for environmental loss/safeguarding of wildlife. India today prides herself with tiger count increase, but because of depleting forest road/rail kills of leopards and tigers are increasing.” Raveena said she hoped for a bright future as she places her trust in the government to ensure people’s interest, safety and convenience.

She was also tagged to a video of a man falling off a local train. It read, “Hello @TandonRaveena, When did you last travel like this to oppose Metro? You folks are shameless.” “Until 1991, I travelled like this. And being a girl also got physically harassed by nameless trolls like you. Before I started working, saw success and earned my first car. Troll Ji. Nagpur ke ho, hara bhara hai aap ka city (Your city Nagpur is evergreen). Lucky. Don’t grudge anyone (for) their success or earnings,” she replied.

Apart from Raveena, several other Bollywood celebrities such as Shraddha Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Dia Mirza, Richa Chadha and Urmila Matondkar among others, earlier opposed the cutting of hundreds of trees at Mumbai’s Aarey Colony for the metro project. Former CM Uddhav Thackeray had stayed the construction andappointed a panel to look for alternative options.