‘Marathis Wouldn't Have Made Mistake’: Sena MLA, Involved In Slapgate, Targets South Indians

Last Updated:July 11, 2025, 11:22 IST

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, who was involved in the slapgate controversy, has targeted Shettys -- a community mostly prevalent in South India.

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad assaults canteen staff | Image: X

Sanjay Gaikwad, the Shiv Sena MLA, who assaulted a hostel staff member in Mumbai for allegedly serving him stale food, has targeted Shettys – a community prevalent in the South – accusing them of “defaming Maharashtra’s culture".

He said that Marathis would have never shown any laxity in serving fresh food if they were allowed to run the canteen.

“These Shettys have been playing with our lives for a long time. Today, they tried to play with my life. My stomach isn’t good, and I have been disturbed over it for the last 20 years. The slightest mistake can land me up with a stomach ache," the MLA, who belongs to the ruling Shiv Sena, told NDTV.

Targetting the Shetty community, Gaikwad said, “The Opposition shares their views but do they not know that these Shettys of the south have defamed Maharashtra’s culture, be it in terms of dance bars or ladies bars. These things have been going on in Maharashtra for a long time and are being done by the Shettys. Shetty is not written on his forehead but the hotel belongs to the Shettys."

When asked if his reaction would have been different had the canteen staff been a Marathi, the legislator said that Marathis “would not have made such a mistake".

“This is not a question about Marathis. Firstly, Marathis wouldn’t have made such a mistake… The people of Maharashtra have never run a dance bar, or a ladies bar, they have never done such acts, only outsiders do such acts. Earlier Balasaheb had also protested these," he told the broadcaster.

A massive controversy erupted on Wednesday after a video of the MLA slapping an employee, Yogesh Kutran, at the Akashvani MLA hostel in Churchgate went viral on social media.

Reports claimed that he had earlier ordered dinner from the canteen on Tuesday night, however, was delivered dal and rice that had foul smell and seemed stale. Upset by this, he went to the canteen and argued with the employee. During the argument, he slapped the employee.

After the video went viral, stirring the controversy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that such conduct by the MLA was not good.

“We came to know that the facilities were not up to the mark, the food was stale. Whatever it is, one can register a complaint. I request you (Chair) to deal with it independently. But for a public representative to assault someone, and the video getting circulated is not good," Fadnavis said.

Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also condemned the behaviour of his party leader.

“We are representatives of the people and we have some responsibility. I condemn Gaikwad’s action. I have told him that it’s wrong to slap someone," Shinde said.

However, despite widespread condemnation including from his own party, Gaikwad said that he slapped the manager and not the staffer, terming it “right".

“I have been complaining about it for the last two to three years but in vain. It was not just me, but several other MLAs, their personal assistants and other people raised similar complaints but nothing came out of it. I knew the road I adopted was incorrect but taking the wrong road has led me to the right path, and this is why a case has been registered against him today," NDTV quoted him as saying, as he referred to the cancellation of the canteen’s licence by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration.

News politics ‘Marathis Wouldn't Have Made Mistake’: Sena MLA, Involved In Slapgate, Targets South Indians