"I am a woman, not a commodity": Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC responds to Arvind Sawant

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 3 : After a senior Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leader made misogynist remarks, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC on Sunday said that she was a woman, not a commodity ("Mahila hoon, maal nahi").
Shaina joined Shiv Sena after leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this week and is contesting the upcoming assembly elections from the Mumbadevi constituency.
"They should not make the mistake of thinking of me as some helpless woman. I have been working in politics for the last 20 years and have fought for the rights of women. I will continue to fight like this in the future. I am a woman, not a commodity (Mahila hoon, maal nahi)," Shaina NC said in a statement posted on X.
She lashed out at Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Arvind Sawant for making "derogatory" remarks against her. The Shiv Sena leader appealed to the women party workers to support her to preserve the bond of femininity.
"You all must have seen the news in media from last two days that MVA's Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant made me a spectacle by using derogatory words like 'imported maal' to please Congress MVa candidate Amin Ali," Shaina NC wrote.
"Why are all the women MLA candidates contesting for MVA silent (on the issue)?" asked NC, adding that this question is meant for all those women like me who are contributing to social life along with managing their household responsibilities.
"Arvind Sawant is the same person for used to call me his sister when I campaigned from south Mumbaiu in 2014 and 2019 and today I am an 'imported maal' for him. Sadly, Amin Ali was just standing there and laughing. Can he laugh at the women from his community like this? After two days, Sanjay Raut can also be seen using derogatory words against me," she said.
NC further said that she didn't intend to do politics by issuing this statement but wanted to highlight that a "malicious attempt" was being made to lower her morale before the upcoming assembly polls.
Earlier, the Shiv Sena leader informed that an FIR was filed in Nagpada police station under sections 79 and 356 (2) for outraging the modesty of a woman. The Election Commission and Woman Commission have also taken cognizance, she added.
The controversy began when Arvind Sawant, an MP of the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, allegedly referred to Shaina as "imported maal," saying, "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."
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut defended Sawant over his "imported maal" remark, saying, "There has been no insult." There is no need to create such a big issue, he added.