Explained : Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde responds to watch controversy and Its Impact

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has hit back at social media speculation regarding her choice of wristwear, dismissing the row as a distraction from her commitment to public service. Speaking to reporters, Tawde clarified that the watch in question was a modest birthday gift from her children and that she had been entirely unaware of its brand or value until the controversy erupted.

“I have no interest in brands— whether it’s a watch, a saree, or any other accessory,” Tawde stated. “My focus is to serve the people. It is a very simple watch. My children gave me this watch on my birthday. I did not even know which company’s watch this was.”

The Mayor explained that when the news began trending online, she asked her daughter about the watch. Her daughter explained that the watch was a Michael Kors watch worth around ₹15,000 to 16,000.

“I asked my daughter about the brand, and she told me that it’s a Michael Kors watch, but it’s just a fifteen or sixteen-thousand-rupee watch. I really don’t know what brand everyone has been obsessing over since yesterday,” Tawde remarked.

The “watch-gate” distraction comes at a busy time for the Mayor. Earlier in the day, she chaired a high-level joint meeting of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to address a much more serious matter: allegations of fake birth certificates being issued to foreign nationals, including those from Bangladesh.

The meeting, convened at the request of former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya, involved— senior police officials, officers from the registration department and Kirit Somaiya himself.

Ritu Tawde, a senior BJP corporator representing Ward 132 (Ghatkopar), took office as the Mayor of the BMC following an uncontested election on February 11. Her deputy, Sanjay Ghadi, was also elected unopposed, marking a period of consolidated leadership for the BJP in the municipality.

Also read: Ritu Tawde elected Mumbai Mayor, Sanjay Ghadi as Deputy