WATCH: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad slaps, punches canteen staff in Mumbai over stale food

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi slammed the BJP-led Maha Yuti government and have urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against the MLA.

Mumbai: Controversial Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad landed in a soup when he mercilessly thrashed a canteen contractor of the MLA Hostel for stale food. The incident has come as a major embarrassment to the BJP-led Maha Yuti government in Maharashtra.

As the video of the incident on Tuesday night went viral, opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi slammed the MLA and the government and demanded the suspension of Gaikwad.

Gaikwad, however, remained defiant and justified what he did.

The incident took place in the Akashwani MLA Hostel, located just a stones throw distance from Mantralaya, the state secretariat and Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex.

Reacting to the controversy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that such incidents send out a wrong message.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the chief leader of Shiv Sena, said that he does not support such behavior. “I will speak to the legislator, resorting to violence is not right,” he said.

"Such conduct does not send the right message. Such behaviour is unacceptable…it tarnishes the image of all the legislators… A wrong message goes among people about all legislators that they misuse power,” Fadnavis told the Maharashtra legislature.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab raised the issue in Legislative Council.

“This is a serious issue,” Fadnavis said, adding that Legislative Council Chairman Prof. Ram Shinde and Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar would suggest further action.

“They should bring it to the notice of the concerned person and take appropriate action by formally lodging a complaint,” said Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister.

Gaikwad, a two-term legislator from Buldana, seemed to be furious in the viral video after alleging the food served to him was stale. “I felt unwell shortly after eating the food. I vomited. I had complained about the poor quality of food two or three times earlier. This time, the food was absolutely unacceptable. I will raise this issue in the ongoing legislature session,” Gaikwad said.

When asked about assaulting the canteen staff, Gaikwad said that the food was in the worst condition and that he would hit the canteen staff again if that repeats.

"If you don't understand in Hindi, in Marathi, or even in English, then we have our own Shiv Sena style to make you understand," he said.

“I used the language Balasaheb Thackeray taught us. I complained four times before, and now I lost my patience. I am a champion in judo, gymnastics, karate and wrestling. I can also use swords. I can do everything,” he added.

After the incident, a team of Food and Drug Administration inspected the Akashwani MLA Hostel canteen. The officials, however, refused to comment.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that Gaikwad is not from his party. “I believe, there is an ongoing conspiracy to defame the Chief Minister,” he added.

“Many people have complained that proper meals are not being served. However, taking the law into one's hands is wrong. The committee chairman himself went and assaulted someone -- this amounts to taking the law into one's own hands and misusing power,” added Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar.

NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said: “Shameful goondagiri from MLA Sanjay Gaikwad from Shinde Sena. Just because he is a part of the incumbent Maharashtra government, does he think he is above the law?”.

Other controversies

Gaikwad is no stranger to controversy. Last year, he stirred a row while reacting to comments of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. “While he was in foreign soil (in the United States), Gandhi said that he wanted to end the reservation system in India. This has exposed the true face of the Congress. It shows the mindset that is inherently opposed to reservations. I will reward with Rs 11 lakh to anyone who cuts off Rahul Gandhi's tongue,” he had said.

Around a year ago, he claimed that he had hunted a tiger and wears its tooth around his neck. “This is a tiger tooth. In 1987, I had hunted it and removed it (the tooth),” said a smiling Gaikwad.