MP Sanjay Raut's spitting incident sparks controversy and criticism

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut responded to the leader of the opposition, Ajit Pawar, who advised him to show restraint, by saying, "It's better to spit than to pee in dams."

On Friday, instead of answering a question about Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde Sanjay Raut bowed down in front of the cameras and spat, which has drawn criticism and condemnation from politicians of all parties. Despite the widespread backlash, Raut remains unapologetic and shows no remorse. When confronted with the criticism, he dismissively asked, "Is spitting prohibited?"

When questioned by the media on Saturday regarding Sanjay Raut's actions, Ajit Pawar expressed his belief in upholding Maharashtra's culture and traditions, urging all leaders to follow suit. He emphasized the importance of exercising restraint while interacting with the media.

Pawar also attempted to justify Raut's behaviour by mentioning that he had heard Raut had a health issue that required him to clear his throat. However, Raut strongly responded to Pawar's advice, referencing a previous statement made by Pawar about peeing in dams if they run dry, stating that it is preferable to spit rather than pee.

Despite this, several other politicians have condemned Raut's statement. Balasaheb Thorat, the leader of the Congress legislature party, proposed that the media refrain from broadcasting such content to maintain cleanliness in the public sphere.

On Thursday, when asked about a statement made by Shiv Sena Shinde faction spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat, Raut responded by spitting, indicating that his act of spitting was his comment. He repeated the same action on Friday when questioned about Dr Shrikant Shinde's statement about families in Mumbai travelling to cooler destinations abroad during the peak of summer.