The battle between the two Senas led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray took an ugly turn on Friday with Shiv Sena candidate from Mumbadevi, Shaina NC, filing a police complaint against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Arvind Sawant over his alleged objectionable remark against women, targeting her. Following the complaint and protest by Shaina and her supporters at Nagpada police station, police registered an FIR against Sawant for allegedly using inappropriate words. In her statement to police, Shaina said, “At around 8 am on Friday, my PA Amit Ramjilal Yadav, informed me over the phone that a video defaming me had gone viral on social media. He sent me the video on WhatsApp, and upon watching it, I saw that Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Arvind Sawant was speaking to the media during which he commented that ‘imported maal nahi chalega, original maal chalega’.” While verifying the video, Shaina NC learned that it had been recorded between 11 am and 3 pm on October 29 at Mumbai Central, after which she approached the Nagpada police station to lodge a complaint. A senior police officer overseeing the investigation said, “We have registered a case based on the complainant’s statement. We will follow the legal procedure.” Sawant has been booked under Section 79 (intending to insult a woman’s modesty) and Section 356(2) (defamation) of the BNS Act. After the FIR was registered on Friday, Shaina said, “We all are aware that ‘Maha Vinash Aghadi’ (opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi) doesn’t respect women. But Ma Mumba Devi’s blessing is with me.. I am a woman, daughter of Mumbai and not ‘maal’. It’s Laxmi Pujanala today, when you perform Puja of goddess Laxmi, and Arvind Sawant says I am a maal, which means an item.” “If you are going to make derogatory remarks against any woman, such FIR will be registered against you and the law will take its course. When you outrage the modesty of a woman, do you think that the woman will keep quiet? Women of Maharashtra will give them a befitting reply,” she added. Earlier in the day, Shaina had demanded an apology from Sawant. Sawant, however, said that his statement was misrepresented and he never mentioned Shaina NC’s name. “Where did I take her name? My statement has been misrepresented. The FIR has been registered and sections have been imposed because we are in the opposition,” Sawant said. The alleged derogatory term was made by Sawant during his campaign for Congress’s Amin Patel who is contesting against Shaina in Mumbadevi. Amin Patel has represented the area since 2009. Reacting to the statement, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde posted on social media platform X, “The statement made by a Sena (UBT) MP on the Shiv Sena candidate Shaina NC is insulting to all women and shows the ideological level of Sena (UBT). From Mata Jijai who taught Rajdharma to Savitri Bai Phule who took up social reform, Maharashtra has got a great tradition of respecting women. It is unfortunate that a person should stoop to such a low level for politics.” Later speaking to the media, the CM said, “Whoever has said this, all the sisters of Maharashtra will show him his place and send him back home. If Balasaheb Thackeray would have been there today, he would have smashed the face of any Sainik who have used such words.”
