“Look at her condition. She was in the BJP all her life and now has gone to another party. ‘Imported maal’ does not work here, only ‘original maal’ works here,” Arvind Sawant said in a conversation with ANI.
In another instance of a male politician using derogatory language toward a female leader, Arvind Sawant, an MP from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, referred to Shaina NC of the Eknath Shinde-led faction as “imported maal” on Friday.
Shaina NC, an ex-BJP leader, will contest the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls as the Mumbadevi candidate.
“Look at her condition. She was in the BJP all her life and now has gone to another party. ‘Imported maal’ does not work here, only ‘original maal’ works here,” Arvind Sawant said in a conversation with ANI.
#WATCH | Mumbai | On Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant says, “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…” (29.10) pic.twitter.com/O4DJ0YjQIQ
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2024
As the controversy escalated, he accused Shaina NC and leaders of the ruling Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) coalition of trying to create a “false narrative” against him.
Reacting to the statement from Sawant, Shaina NC remarked that it was ‘a reflection of his mentality’. “This is the same Arvind Sawant for whom we had campaigned in 2014 and 2019. Look at his thinking when he calls a woman ‘maal’ (item). I would like to tell him that this same voter will make him ‘behaal’ in the elections,” said Shiv Sena candidate from Mumbadevi, Shaina NC.
VIDEO | Maharashtra elections 2024: “This is the same Arvind Sawant for whom we had campaigned in 2014 and 2019. Look at his thinking when he calls a woman ‘maal’ (item). I would like to tell him that this same voter will make him ‘behaal’ in the elections,” says Shiv Sena… pic.twitter.com/teVW2zPCro
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 1, 2024
Mumbai’s Nagpada Police Station registered a case against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on a complaint by Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC over his “imported maal” remark. The Shiv Sena party emphasised that under the provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sahita (Indian Penal Code), this behaviour amounts to an act of outraging a woman’s modesty, in violation of Sections 354 and 509 of the IPC.
“I am writing to file a formal complaint against Arvind Sawant, a sitting Member of Parliament, for his derogatory and highly objectionable remarks directed at Shaina NC, referring to her as a “real maal” (translated as “sexy bomb”). This language, objectifying a woman in a public and influential setting, not only demeans the individual but also sends a deeply disturbing message to society, trivializing the respect and dignity of women,” the letter said.
“Under the provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sahita (Indian Penal Code), this behavior amounts to an act of outraging a woman’s modesty, in violation of Sections 354 and 509 of the IPC. By using such terms, Sawant has exhibited a gross disregard for the principles of respect, equality, and decency that are fundamental to our society and legal framework,” it added.
