Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad slaps canteen staff in Mumbai over stale food, ‘no regrets'
Political opponents, particularly the Congress, have recalled how Gaikwad — from deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena — is the man who last year announced ₹11 lakh as reward to anyone who could cut off Rahul Gandhi's tongue over a statement he had made about reservations.
In the viral video, Gaikwad is seen abusing the canteen operator, refusing to pay the bill, and then slapping a staff member who was at the billing counter. He goes on to push and shove others too.
He had ordered dinner from the canteen on Tuesday night and found the dal-rice delivered in his room to be stale and foul-smelling. He left his room fuming and stormed into the canteen, where he got violent.
He told others present there, too, not to pay for the food.
He later spoke to PTI about the episode, and stressed he had no regrets.
'When someone fails to understand democratic language, then I have to [use] this language only,' he told the news agency.
He added that his violence was not the same as that by MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers: 'I didn't thrash him seeing whether he is Marathi or Hindi-speaking. I had complained to concerned authorities on several occasions. I will repeat it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
18 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Maharashtra CM calls Sharad Pawar, Uddhav to seek support for NDA V-P candidate
Looking to mobilise support for the NDA's vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan beyond the allies in the government, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday held talks with Opposition constituents NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray to seek their support for the for the candidature of Radhakrishnan. Sources in the BJP revealed that 'Fadnavis called Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray over phone and urged them to extend their respective party's support to NDA's V-P candidate C P Radhakrishnan'. The source revealed that both NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have refrained from making their stand public. While NDA has fielded Maharashtra Governor Radhakrishnan, INDIA block led by Congress has had in the fray former retired judge Justice Sudarshan Reddy as their candidate. The vice presidential elections will take place on September 9. The elections were necessitated following the abrupt resignation of serving V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar in the middle of his tenure. Sources said that in Maharashtra, there had been instances where political rivals came forward to support presidential candidates setting aside their political differences. On two occasions at least, undivided Shiv Sena — then led by Bal Thackeray — had supported the rival Congress-led UPA presidential candidate Pratibha Patil in 2007 and Pranab Mukherjee in 2012. A senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, ' Ideally, we have nothing against Radhakrishnan whose tenure as Maharashtra governor was much better and non-controversial. But as we are part of the INDIA bloc, we will have to stand by Reddy to show unity within the opposition.' The Congress' decision to field Reddy is perceived as a clever strategy to counter BJP's South India oriented politics. By fielding Radhakrishnan, BJP wanted to mount pressure on non-NDA southern parties namely DMK. By fielding Reddy, Congress has put NDA aligned Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena and Rastriya Bharat Samithi from Andhra Pradesh in a political bind.
The Hindu
18 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Raj Thackeray meets Fadnavis, says talk focused on civic issues
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday (August 21, 2025) met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at his official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai, sparking political chatter in the State. The meeting came a day after a joint panel of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT and the MNS suffered a major setback, failing to secure a single seat in the BEST Employees' Co-operative Credit Society election. Mr. Raj Thackeray, however, clarified at a press conference that the meeting revolved around civic concerns, particularly rising traffic congestion and parking woes due to rapid slum redevelopment. He said that he had presented a proposal in the presence of senior Mumbai Police officials, suggesting underground parking facilities beneath playgrounds to accommodate 500 to 1,000 vehicles without affecting open spaces. He expressed concern over Mumbai's worsening civic and traffic conditions, and blamed poor planning and lack of discipline for the chaos. 'The day before yesterday, we witnessed 400 mm of rain, which led to massive traffic jams. Roads are narrowing, vehicles are parked everywhere, and there's no traffic discipline. No concrete work has been done to address these issues. Instead, we keep focusing on irrelevant matters — we are stuck discussing pigeons and elephants while basic problems are ignored,' Mr. Raj Thackeray said. He also said that he had met the CM once or twice over the past few months to discuss crucial urban issues and planning strategies. He recalled making a 16-minute documentary in 2014 on city aesthetics, and said he was now working on versions in other languages as well, emphasising his deep interest in town planning and redevelopment. Quoting a Scottish writer, Mr. Raj Thackeray said, ''Tell me what songs your children sing, and I will tell you the future of your country'. For Mumbai, I paraphrase it and say, 'Show me the traffic situation in your country, and I will tell you its future'.' Highlighting the rapid pace of redevelopment in Mumbai, Thane, and several other parts of Maharashtra, he said population density had exploded. 'Where 50 people once lived, now 500 people occupy the same space. Cars have multiplied, traffic has worsened, and now even garbage is piling up on the roads. The entire city is sliding into a complete mess,' the MNS leader said. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar downplayed political interpretations, saying leaders often meet regardless of party affiliations. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also dismissed the rumours, suggesting Mr. Raj Thackeray may have invited Mr. Fadnavis for Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
'Silence only emboldens the bully': China envoy slams US for 50% tariff on India, says 'firmly stand' with New Delhi
China's envoy to India, Xu Feihong, called for greater trust and cooperation between New Delhi and Beijing, accusing the US of hypocrisy over tariffs and said PM Modi's upcoming visit to China for the SCO Summit could boost bilateral ties. China's ambassador to India Xu Feihong, on Thursday called for greater strategic trust and stronger cooperation between New Delhi and Beijing, stressing that the two neighbours should view each other as partners rather than competitors. 'China and India should enhance strategic mutual trust and avoid mutual suspicion. Both countries are partners, not rivals. We should manage differences through dialogue,' Xu said. He also highlighted the importance of unity and collaboration between the two Asian powers, noting that constructive engagement would help maintain stability and advance common interests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Silence only emboldens the bully' Speaking in New Delhi, Xu accused Washington of hypocrisy, saying that the US had long benefited from free trade but was now weaponising tariffs as bargaining tools. Xu further said 'US has long benefited from free trade but now uses tariffs as bargain chips. US imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India. China firmly opposes it. Silence only emboldens the bully. China will firmly stand with India,'. #WATCH | China's ambassador to India, Xu Feihong says, "...US has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India and even threatened for more. China firmly opposes it. Silence only emboldens the bully. China will firmly stand with India ." — ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2025 Speaking on the broader geopolitical context, Xu Feihong said, 'The world today is experiencing a turbulent period; The international order is undergoing the most profound evolution since World War II…At this moment of turbulence and change, the significance of China and India relations has become increasingly evident. China-India cooperation benefits both countries.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The ambassador also highlighted progress in people-to-people exchanges, saying, 'China has resumed the visit of Indian pilgrims to the sacred mountain and lake, and India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals. Looking ahead, Xu Feihong expressed optimism about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to China for the SCO Summit, saying, 'In the coming days, PM Modi will travel to China to attend the SCO Summit. I believe this visit will give a new impetus to China-India relations. 'This comes after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met PM Modi on Tuesday and handed over a message and an invitation from President Xi Jinping for the summit in Tianjin, providing context for the upcoming visit. The Prime Minister thanked President Xi for the invitation to the SCO Summit and conveyed his acceptance. The SCO summit will be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. With inputs from agencies
