Row erupts over Arvind Sawant’s derogatory remarks on Shaina NC

MUMBAI: A disparaging remark from Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant apparently aimed at Shiv Sena candidate Shaina NC has triggered outrage, while also arming the Mahayuti coalition with fresh firepower in the election battleground.

Sawant, the Sena (UBT) MP from South Mumbai, made an oblique reference to Shaina NC, who is contesting the assembly election from Mumbadevi, as “imported maal” (imported goods), for her being fielded in a constituency she is not familiar with. In Mumbadevi, Shaina NC will take on veteran leader Amin Patel of the Congress, an ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), of which the Sena (UBT) is a part.

Reacting to Sawant’s derogatory remark, chief minister Eknath Shinde said, “If Balasaheb (Thackeray) was alive, he would have slapped him.” He then gave Sawant’s words a clever twist. “All ladki bahins (beloved sisters) in the state will take revenge,” Shinde said, a play on the hugely popular Ladki Bahin Yojana of his ruling Mahayuti alliance government.

Soon after Sawant’s offensive remark was made public, Shiv Sena leaders and party workers assembled at the Nagpada police station in large numbers and registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Sawant for ‘outraging of modesty’, ‘objectionable remarks’ and ‘disrespect’. Senior inspector of the Nagpada police, Maheshkumar Thakur, said, “We have registered an FIR and will start our investigation.’’

Mahayuti leaders slammed Sawant, saying his remark betrayed the fact that he has no respect for women. On his part, Sawant accused Shaina NC and Mahayuti leaders of attempting to create a “fake narrative” against him.

Sawant had made the offensive remark while addressing the media after Shaina NC submitted her nomination papers on Friday last week. He said, “Imported nahin chalta hai yahaan. Yeh imported maal nahi chalta hamaare yahhan. Hamaare yahaana original chalta hai aur original hamare pass hai Amin Patel.” (Imported goods will not be accepted here. These imported goods won’t work here. Here, only original goods are accepted, and Amin Patel is original goods).

Shaina NC told Hindustan Times, “He (Sawant) can talk about developmental issues, cluster development and hygiene, but he has no right to get personal. I am not ‘maal’.’’

Sawant accused Shaina NC and Mahayuti leaders of taking his words out of context. He said his statement was in Hindi and he was “speaking in the language of imported goods and original local goods”. “Why are they making allegations after so many days? It proves they are twisting my words for political gain,” he alleged.

“In 35 years of political life, I have never used derogatory language. Shaina is my friend. They are twisting my statement. I said that Amin Patel is local and Shaina NC is an outsider in the Mumbadevi constituency, and so ‘baharka maal’ (imported goods) will not be accepted in the Mumbadevi constituency. But they are using my words out of context and politicising the issue. Check my original statement in Hindi. It will become clear that they are setting a fake narrative,” said Sawant.

Neelam Gorhe, deputy leader of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council, said, “Sawant is scrambling to defend himself but the people know what he really means. The language he used is derogatory to women.’’

Leveraging the backlash against Sawant, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, whose Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is an ally of the Shiv Sena in the Mahayuti coalition, said, “Derogatory comments against women have no place in our society, especially in Maharashtra, where we proudly celebrate and honour our ladki bahins. We celebrate our inspiring women icons and follow their footsteps in empowering women, and over the past two and a half years, we have continued to uplift and recognise their contributions. Such remarks, especially by a senior Shiv Sena UBT leader against Shaina NC, are highly condemnable and unacceptable. They go against the very values of respect and dignity that define our progressive Maharashtra.’’

Chitra Wagh, a leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the senior coalition partner in the Mahayuti government, spun Sawant’s remark to her party’s advantage. “Voters now know that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is not the real Sena. For them, insulting women is becoming a daily affair.’’