Mumbai: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad punches canteen staff over stale food “The food was stale, I vomited after smelling it and taking the first bite," said Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, defending his assault on a canteen staffer at the MLA Hostel in Mumbai.
The video of the incident, which has surfaced on social media, showed the Maharashtra lawmaker calling people and asking them to smell the food packet in the canteen. The heated confrontation soon led to physical violence.
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MLA's Reaction To Backlash
Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad expressed his frustration over the poor food quality at the Akashwani canteen, where he has been a patron for 30 years. He highlighted complaints about stale and unhygienic food, including 15-day-old eggs and non-vegetarian items, and the presence of insects and dirt.
After experiencing bad food himself, he insisted that others confirm its staleness, which they did. Gaikwad stressed the importance of serving clean and healthy food, labeling current conditions a health hazard. He lamented the lack of action from the government despite numerous complaints and urged for a check on the canteen’s kitchen, voicing concern for the health of the 5,000-10,000 patrons who rely on the service. Gaikwad stated to ANI.
'I Will Do It Again...': Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad
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 for a similar service. “Natural meri jo reaction thi ki agar aap Hindi mein samajhte nahi ho, Marathi mein samajhte nahi ho, angreji (English) mein samjhte nahi ho toh aakhir mein humara Shiv Sene ka style humara phir asal rehta hi hai", MLA stated while in conversation with PTI.
"Meri bhasha aakhir mein ye rehti hain" said Gaikwad in response to the incident. The incident took place at the Akashvani MLA canteen in Churchgate, where several legislators are staying during the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Assembly.
The incident comes amid ongoing political friction between the MNS and the Mahayuti government, led by the BJP, over the MNS’s aggressive campaign promoting the use of Marathi among residents of the state.
