Maharashtra MLA slaps canteen staff 'Shiv Sena style' over dal
What's the story
In a shocking incident, Sanjay Gaikwad, a Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLA from Buldhana, assaulted a canteen staff member at the Akashvani MLA canteen in Churchgate, Mumbai, over the quality of dal served to him. Gaikwad had ordered a thali on Tuesday night, but when the food arrived, he found the dal to be "stinking." He then confronted the staff and asked them to smell the packet.
Escalation of conflict
'I vomited after eating...': Gaikwad on canteen staff assault
In a video that has gone viral, Gaikwad is seen getting impatient while waiting for the canteen operator. When the operator arrives, Gaikwad makes him smell the dal and then slaps him multiple times before punching him hard enough to make him fall. Calling his action the "Shiv Sena style," Gaikwad told a regional news channel that he had "complained about the poor quality of food two or three times earlier. This time the food was absolutely unacceptable."
Twitter Post
Watch the video here
Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad is a Maratha warrior, who singlehandedly defeated a canteen staff in full public view pic.twitter.com/i3UHuPepP9
— ᴋᴀᴍʟᴇsʜ sɪɴɢʜ / tau (@kamleshksingh) July 9, 2025
Media
'I started feeling unwell'
Speaking to NDTV after the incident, Gaikwad said he had vomited after eating a few morsels of food and felt unwell. "I called the manager, and he said it was not fit to eat. Over the past several years, I have told them to give me fresh food. Their chicken and egg stocks are days old. They are playing with the health of thousands of people every day. And when people complain, they don't listen," he said.
Defense and resolution
'I am champion in judo, karate...': Gaikwad on assault
Gaikwad also defended his actions, saying he used "the language Balasaheb Thackeray has taught us," and added he is a champion in judo, gymnastics, karate, and wrestling. "I am not a Gandhian. I have no regrets. I don't think I have done anything wrong. I will raise this issue in the Assembly too," he defended. He said he would raise the issue in the Assembly.
Campaign controversy
MNS under fire for promoting Marathi aggressively
The incident comes amid ongoing political tensions between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Mahayuti government over the Marathi language. The MNS, led by Raj Thackeray, has been criticized for its aggressive campaigns after several videos surfaced showing MNS workers assaulting residents for refusing to speak in Marathi. Following the backlash over the actions of MNS workers, Thackeray asked his workers to "beat them but don't record videos."