Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that the chairman of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly should decide on taking action against Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, who allegedly assaulted an employee in the canteen of his residence over “stale food” on Tuesday.
Fadnavis said in the Legislative Council that the behaviour of Gaikwad, the Akashwani MLA from the party led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was not dignified and tarnished the image of the legislature, after Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab raised the issue in the House.
“A senior MLA in the government comes in a vest and towel and beats up an employee. Are there any directions on how legislators should behave? Are these people coming directly from the street? What was the crime of that employee? This is tarnishing the image of your government,” Parab said.
“Will you take the support of such people and will you run the government with the support of such people?” the Opposition legislator asked the chief minister.
“Legislators’ residence comes under the purview of the legislature. If I beat up someone in the legislature, you will suspend me. So send a message to the people that we will not tolerate this by suspending this legislator,” Parab added.
Fadnavis said that if the food was not good, the MLA could have complained about it. “But beating like this and its video coming out affect our image. This sends the wrong message to the people. It is not right for you (MLA Gaikwad) to behave like this in front of the people as an MLA. The chairman and the Assembly Speaker should take note of this and decide what action to take on this,” he said.
