‘South Indians Run Dance Bars, Spoil Marathi Culture’: Shiv Sena MLA’s Shocking Remark Amid Assault Row
Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad courted fresh controversy targeting the south indian community day after a video of him brutally assaulting a canteen contractor went viral, and garnered unanimous condemnation
A day after a video of him brutally assaulting a canteen contractor went viral, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MLA Sanjay Gaikwad made controversial remarks on Thursday with a communal tirade targeting South Indian communities. The Buldhana legislator questioned the decision to award food contracts to non-Marathis, particularly South Indians, accusing them of “spoiling Maharashtra’s culture”.
“Why was a contractor named Shetty given the contract? Give it to a Marathi person. They know what we eat and will give us good quality food. South Indians run dance bars, ladies bars and spoil Maharashtra’s culture. They have corrupted our children. How will they serve good food?” Gaikwad told India Today TV.
His remarks add to the already growing backlash over the physical assault incident, which was widely shared on social media.
Shiv Sena MLA's Assault on Contractor Triggers Political Firestorm
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on Wednesday, showing Gaikwad—dressed in a vest and towel—physically assaulting a canteen manager at the Akashwani MLA residence in Mumbai. In the video, he is seen slapping and punching the contractor while forcing him to smell a packet of dal, allegedly to prove that the food served was stale. The victim collapsed on the floor due to the impact and struggled to stand as the MLA continued to thrash him.
Defending his actions, Gaikwad remained unrepentant. “I did not hit the waiter. I hit the manager. My method may have been wrong but the goal was right. I will hit again if someone repeats such an act,” he said, as per India Today. He added that administrative delays and inaction had forced him to take matters into his own hands. “The administration engages in give-and-take, which causes delays in action.”
CM Fadnavis Among Leaders Across Parties To Condemn Shiv Sena MLA's Assault
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis strongly condemned the assault, calling it an example of power misuse. “Such conduct does not behove anyone. It impacts the image of the state legislature and as an MLA… a wrong message goes among people about all MLAs that there is misuse of power,” he said in the Assembly.
Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde distanced himself from the incident. “If something wrong is happening, there could be legal action, but beating up people is inappropriate. I have told Sanjay Gaikwad that his actions were inappropriate. I will not endorse his actions,” he told reporters.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray implied the incident could be part of a larger political ploy. “Is this an attempt to malign the Chief Minister? He should be cautious,” he told reporters.
Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said the party would demand action against Gaikwad during the ongoing monsoon session. “The way he was dressed and came down (to the canteen) is obscene,” he commented.
Shiv Sena MLA Remains Defiant Despite Public Outrage
Despite widespread criticism, Gaikwad stood by his actions and insisted that he had earlier complained about the canteen food quality to FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal, who had sent samples for testing three months ago but had not received the results.
“Thousands of people visit the Akashwani MLA hostel during the legislature session with the hope of getting quality food, but the contractor never improved it,” he said. He claimed that the dal and rice served on Tuesday night were stale and foul-smelling, which prompted him to confront the canteen staff in anger.
“I am an MLA and a warrior. I lost control after my complaints remained unheard. Despite several complaints, if nobody pays attention, what should one do? Should I die? I have no regrets about my actions,” he declared.
Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi from Shiv Sena (UBT) also criticised the MLA, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “Meet Shah Sena’s MLA Sanjay Gaikwad… Now the man is seen beating up a poor helpless canteen worker. But wait no news TV outrage here since it’s a BJP ally.”
Gaikwad’s History of Controversial Statements
This is not the first time Sanjay Gaikwad has landed in controversy. In September 2024, he offered a reward of ₹11 lakh to anyone who cut off Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tongue over comments on the reservation system—an incident that led to a police case. In April 2025, he made derogatory remarks about the police but later expressed regret after facing backlash from CM Fadnavis. A year earlier, a video of him beating a youth with a stick had gone viral. He later claimed the victim belonged to an anti-social gang and had assaulted a police officer.
No official complaint has been lodged against Gaikwad so far in connection with the canteen assault, according to a police official quoted by PTI.
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