In Mumbai, ahead of the Maharashtra election, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC reacted sharply to the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant's 'imported maal' statement.

In a viral video, he said, "On one side, there is Eknath Shinde's Ladli Behna Yojana, while on the other side, there are the Prime Minister's Ujjwala, Mudra Banking, and Housing Schemes that empower women. Droupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, has become the President, yet Mahavinash Aghadi's Arvind Sawant refers to me as 'imported maal.' I believe this objectification of women reflects not only their mentality but also that of Congress MLA Amin Patel, who was present there laughing..."

Shiv Sena UBT leader Arvind Sawant sparked controversy by referring to Shaina NC, a former BJP member who recently joined Shiv Sena ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, as "imported maal" (imported material). This comment drew strong reactions, particularly from Shaina NC, who criticized Sawant's language as objectifying women and reflecting his mindset.

Sawant, while addressing the media, remarked, "She spent her entire life in the BJP, but look at her now... Here, we don’t accept imported material; only the original works," gesturing toward his own party’s candidate. In response, Shaina NC condemned the remark, saying, "This reflects Arvind Sawant and his party’s mentality. Does he consider every woman from Mumbadevi as ‘maal’? While leaders like Eknath Shinde and the Prime Minister promote women’s empowerment through schemes like Ujjwala and Mudra Banking, Mahavinash Aghadi’s Arvind Sawant resorts to calling women ‘imported maal’."

Shaina further noted that Congress MLA Amin Patel, present during the comment, appeared to laugh at the remark. She called on Sawant to apologize at Nagpada Police Station, warning that the public would hold Mahavinash Aghadi accountable. Expressing disappointment, she added, "This is the same Arvind Sawant I supported as a sister during the 2014 and 2019 elections."

Shaina NC, who has been active in BJP and often represented the party in televised debates, switched to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena for the Mumbadevi seat in the upcoming November 20 polls.