Vrindavan: Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini has attributed the monkey menace in the Mathura-Vrindavan area to visitors "spoiling them by feeding them with samosas and Frooti", and stressed they should only be given fruits. Malini is BJP MP from Mathura and will be contesting from that constituency in the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Interacting with local people at the Sudama Kuti in Vrindavan, when asked about "monkey problem", Hema Malini said, "Where will the monkey go? It's co-existence. The problem is the visitors give Frooti and samosa to them, which spoils them. Usko sirf phal dijiye (only give fruits to the monkey)."