A massive row erupted in Maharashtra on Friday after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant called Shiv Sena's Shaina NC "imported maal". Enraged by the sexist comment, Shaina NC went to the Nagpada police station and registered a complaint against Sawant. An FIR has been filed against Sawant.
Earlier today, Sawant had stoked controversy when he called Shaina "imported maal" while speaking to reporters about her and how she had quit the BJP and joined the Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde.
"Look at her condition. She was in the BJP all her life and now she has gone to another party. Imported 'maal' does not work here, only original 'maal' works here," he had said.
Reacting to this, Shaina NC hit out at Sawant for "outraging the modesty of a woman" and slammed the Sena UBT leaders for staying silent.
"Arvind Sawant took me along for campaigning in the past and now I am 'imported maal'?" she questioned. "I'm not your maal. I'm going to Nagpada police station to file a complaint."
Later, she visited the Nagpada police station where she filed a police complaint against him.
She also took to her social media account on X (formerly Twitter), where she posted: "महिला हूँ, माल नहीं ", which means "I am a woman, not a commodity".
Shaina also questioned: "Why this itemisation and objectification of a woman? Amin Patel (Congress candidate on Mumbadevi) next to him is smiling away. Why is outraging the modesty of a woman?"
'Reveals His Mindset And His Party's': Shaina NC
Continuing attacks at the MP, Shaina NC said that the remarks made by Sawant reflected the mindset of the Shiv Sena (UBT), and asked him whether he saw every woman in Mumbai as "maal".
"This reveals the mindset of Arvind Sawant and his party. Does he see every woman in Mumbadevi as 'maal'? He shows no respect for women, using such terms to describe a capable woman in politics," she said.
Shaina NC said that the people of Maharashtra will respond to this comment and will make Sawant and his party "behaal" in the upcoming polls.
"Now you will be 'behaal' because you called the woman 'maal'. Whether I take action or not, the public will make him 'behaal'," she added.
Showing the copy of the FIR, Shaina NC said: "This is the destructive coalition where Arvind Sawant calls me maal, meaning an object or item. I have been in public life for years, and my supporters and everyone are aware of my public work. In 2014 and 2019, this same Arvind Sawant called us ladli behna (beloved sister) during the elections, using the name of PM Modi, and now he is using the word maal for us."
"I am not anyone’s maal. I am a woman. Uddhav ji is silent, Nana Patole ji is silent, but the women of Mumbai will not remain silent," she reiterated.
'I Respect Women', Sawant Says In His Defence
After the controversy erupted, Arvind Sawant, in his defence, said that he respects women. "I gave the byte two days ago. What were they doing for two days? I respect women, I am from Balasaheb's Sena. Let them file a complaint," he said.
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad reacted to Arvind Sawan't remark, saying that he was really "upset" with him. He said that such a comment shouldn't be made against any woman.