Maharashtra Elections: Uddhav camp MP Arvind Sawant’s ‘imported maal’ remark against Shaina NC sparks row, case filed

Maharashtra Elections: An FIR was filed against the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Arvind Sawant after he recently made a controversial remark against Shaina NC, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who filed a nomination as the candidate of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena from the Mumbadevi assembly constituency.

The Shiv Sena candidate visited Mumbai's Nagpada Police Station and filed an FIR against Sawant as women workers demanded an apology and raised slogans.

Earlier this week, reacting to Shaina NC contesting from Shinde's Shiv Sena after being in the saffron party for several years, Sawant said that “imported maal” doesn't work here.

Sawant made the remark reportedly on October 29, while campaigning for alliance partner Congress' candidate Amin Patel, who will square off against Shaina NC from Mumbadevi.

The remark has gone viral on social media platforms.

"Look at her condition. She was in the BJP all her life, and now she has gone to another party. The imported 'maal' does not work here, only the original 'maal' works here," said Sawant.

Slamming Sawant, Shiv Sena candidate Shaina NC said, “You cannot respect a woman. You use such words for a capable woman who is in politics. Now you will be 'behaal' because you called the woman ‘maal’.”

Here's what Shaina NC said

— On one side there is Eknath Shinde's Ladki Behan Yojana, on the other side there is the Prime Minister's Ujjwala, Mudra Banking, Housing Scheme, where women are empowered.

— Droupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, becomes the President, and Maha Vinash Aghadi's Arvind Sawant calls me 'imported maal'.

— I think this objectification of women is not only their mentality, but Congress MLA Amin Patel was present there laughing.

— You will have to apologize at the Nagpada Police Station.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP and Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant also slammed Arvind Sawant for a controversial remark and said, "The opposition doesn't want women to be empowered. Arvind Sawant made an objectionable comment against our candidate. He called her 'imported maal'. It shows that they always use such derogatory remarks against women. They are anti-women by nature"

About Mumbadevi constituency

— Mumbadevi is one of the 10 constituencies in Mumbai City district.

— Amin Patel has remained undefeated in this constituency, comprising Muslim-dominated pockets, since 2009.

— In 2019, Patel defeated Shiv Sena (undivided) candidate Pandurang Sakpal by around 23,000 votes.

— The Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat was won by Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT) in recent polls. He defeated Yamini Jadhav of the Shiv Sena.