Maharashtra MLA assaults canteen staff in ‘Shiv Sena style’ over ‘rotten dal’

Mumbai: A Maharashtra lawmaker assaulted a canteen staff in ‘Shiv Sena style’ fuming over the ‘rotten’ dal curry served to him at the MLA canteen, NDTV reported.

Sanjay Gaikwad, MLA for Buldhana hit the staffer so hard including on the face that the man fell on the floor.

The lawmaker lost cool after the staffer served the thali he ordered at the Akashvani MLA canteen in Churchgate.

The footage of the act went viral raising questions about the unbecoming behaviour of the elected representative.

Sanjay Gaikwad, wearing a towel around his waist, was seen enquiring who cooked the dal, and called people around him to smell it.

He claimed he had stomach cramps and uneasiness after tasting the dal.

‘Who gave this to me? Smell this. Pack this and call the food department. You are giving this to an MLA, what are you giving others?’ he said.

Meanwhile, somebody else was heard saying ‘A person could die after eating this.’

He asked the staff at the reception to call canteen staff Yogesh Kutran.

As the man came over, the lawmaker opened the pack, forcing to him to smell it.

Before Yogesh Kutran raised his face from pack, Sanjay Gaikwad slapped him across the face.

Amid the hitting and punching, Yogesh Kutran fell on the floor.

The lawmaker later told NDTV that the dal was not stale but ‘rotten’.

‘I had asked for dal, rice and two chapatis. I started eating and threw up after a few morsels. I started feeling unwell. I went to the canteen. I did not even change. I went to canteen and asked them to smell it and then said it's very bad. 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 was quoted as saying.

When asked if his behaviour was suitable for an MLA, Sanjay Gaikwad said he had no regrets adding that he used ‘the language Balasaheb Thackeray has taught us’.

‘I am a champion in judo, gymnastics and 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 was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, most customers at the canteen told NDTV that the food quality had to be improved, but were against the lawmaker assaulting the canteen staff. The staff members too called out the assault against their colleague.

It is reported citing police that Yogesh Kutran refused to file any complaint against the lawmaker.

Opposition parties Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) criticised the lawmaker’s act, calling it an ‘arrogance of power’.