Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant on November 2 apologized for his “imported maal” comment against Shiv Sena’s Mumbadevi candidate Shaina N C.

Addressing reporters in Mumbai, Sawant said he would never insult a woman, adding that his remarks were “interpreted differently”.

“Over the last few days some accusations have been made against me. A complaint has been filed against me in this regard. We will never insult women. An atmosphere is being created that I have insulted a woman, I have never done this in my life. One of my statements was interpreted differently. “I apologize if my statement hurt anyone’s feelings,” he said.

“They are deliberately attacking me by giving it a different meaning, I am sad about this but still, if my statement has hurt anyone’s feelings, then I express my regret. Respect for women in the country cannot be seen according to the party,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut defended his party colleague Arvind Sawant’s “imported maal” comment on BJP candidate from Mumbadevi Shaina NC.

“There has been no insult. Arvind Sawant is our senior MP. He simply pointed out that BJP candidate from Mumbadevi, Shaina NC, is from outside and referred to her as “imported maal”. How is that an insult to women?…There is no need to create a big problem,” Raut said.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on November 1 against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant for referring to rival Shiv Sena’s assembly election candidate Shaina NC as “imported maal” .

Sawant, MP from Mumbai South, claimed that her comment was being misconstrued, while Shaina, who is contesting from the Mumbadevi assembly seat in the city, said it showed the mindset of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.

National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Vijaya Rahatkar also sought action from the police and the Election Commission of India in the matter.

Shaina, who was earlier with the BJP, recently joined Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He will take on Congress’s Amin Patel in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

CM Shinde said Sawant’s comment insulted all the “ladkya bahini” (dear sisters) of the state. “(Late Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray would have slapped anyone who made such a comment,” he added.

Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar, the newly appointed chairperson of the National Commission for Women, said on X (formally Twitter) that it is unacceptable for a responsible public representative to make such statements about women, especially during the holy period of Diwali and Lakshmi Puja.

He asked the Mumbai Police and the Election Commission to take appropriate action.