Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Saturday apologised for his alleged remark targeting rival Shiv Sena assembly candidate Shaina N C, following a case filed against him. However, fellow Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut defended Sawant, stating, “there has been no insult” and adding, “there is no need to make this a big issue.”
The controversy erupted when Arvind Sawant, a Shiv Sena MP from the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, allegedly referred to Shaina N C as “imported maal.” Sawant reportedly said, “Look at her condition. She was in the BJP all her life and now she went to another party. Imported ‘maal’ doesn’t work here; only original ‘maal’ does.” In response, Shaina filed a complaint against him at the Nagpada police station on Friday.
Sawant has been charged under sections 79 (insulting the modesty of a woman through words, gestures, or sounds) and 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
‘There has been no insult’: Sanjay Raut defends Arvind Sawant
Speaking to reporters Raut said, “There has been no insult. Arvind Sawant is our senior MP. He just said that the BJP candidate from Mumbadevi (Shaina NC) has come from outside and she is an ‘imported maal’. If she is an ‘imported maal’, how is this an insult to women?…’Bahar ka maal hai toh bahar ka maal hai’…What did you say about Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi? You should go through the history once…If a person from outside contests elections, people say that they have come from outside…There is no need to create such a big issue.”
Arvind Sawant’s apology
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, MP Arvind Sawant asserted that he has “never insulted any woman” in his life, suggesting the controversy around his remarks was politically motivated ahead of the assembly elections.
“I have always been in the forefront of giving women their due respect. My remarks were distorted and I was deliberately targeted. This hurt me. Still if my comments hurt anybody’s sentiments, I regret it and apologise for the same. In my 55 years of public life, I have never insulted women,” the Member of Parliament (MP) from the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency said.
Sawant questioned the response to previous comments made by political leaders, asking, “Were women honoured through such comments?…A state minister made derogatory remarks against Supriya Sule. Was any action taken?.” “I had not named anyone. I feel sad that an attempt was made to tarnish my image. The comment was made on October 29 and it was remembered on November 1,” Sawant added.