Hangry Sena MLA punches canteen staff

Video clips of a furious Sanjay Gaikwad, Shiv Sena MLA from Buldhana, holding up packets of the daal he was allegedly served, and striking the manager did the rounds on social media on Wednesday

MUMBAI: Sanjay Gaikwad, a Shiv Sena legislator from Buldhana, Maharashtra, created a ruckus at the Akashwani MLA Hostel, located behind Mantralaya, and assaulted the manager of the hostel’s canteen, Yogesh Puthran, on Tuesday night after he was purportedly served stale food.

Sanjay Gaikwad holding up packets of daal (Raju Shinde/ HT Photo)

As video clips of a furious Gaikwad holding up packets of the daal he was allegedly served, and striking Puthran, did the rounds on social media on Wednesday, both the ruling coalition and Opposition censured the act at the ongoing monsoon session of the legislature.

“I do not support Sanjay Gaikwad’s reaction to being served bad food. While he became angry, it was not correct to thrash someone. He should have complained instead,” said deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told HT, “One must control one’s anger. Why slap and punch workers? A complaint should have been registered following which the contractor should have been changed.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Anil Parab likened Gaikwad’s behaviour to that of a roadside goon. “This is an expression of arrogance stemming from power. He feels no one can do anything,” said Parab, adding that the act was damaging for the ruling coalition’s image, led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, “who is a cultured person”.

“The CM should take action against Gaikwad. In fact, he should have been suspended, which would have sent a message to people that such behaviour will not be tolerated,” said Parab, and requested the chairman of the legislative council and speaker of the legislative assembly to take appropriate action against Gaikwad. NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad said, “We are ashamed as legislators.”

At the council, Fadnavis said, “If the food was not good, the MLA should have complained. Beating up a canteen employee affects our image – it sends the wrong message to people. The chairman of council and the assembly speaker should take cognizance of this incident and decide on the appropriate action in this matter.”

Later, speaking to the media, an unrepentant Gaikwad, who had arrived at the legislature with the packets of daal he was served the previous night, said: “The food served was 10 days old; the daal was at least five days old. I don’t regret what I have done.”

However, since there were no complaints made, a senior officer from Marine Drive police station said, “In the absence of an FIR, we can’t do much.”

The hostel is managed by the public works department (PWD). An official from the department said tenders for canteen services are issued by the general administration department (GAD).

A PWD officer posted in the hostel recounted the course of the action from the previous evening. He said, “Gaikwad’s staff had ordered food, including a bowl of daal at 8pm, which they wanted to eat at 10pm. Since the food had become cold and remained in a sealed pack, it lost its taste.” A staffer from the canteen said, “Puthran, who manages the canteen, was severely thrashed. He has worked here for 30 years.” Puthran however was unavailable for a comment.