India, July 9 -- "The food was stale," said Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad as he justified assaulting an employee of a canteen at the MLA Hostel in Mumbai, a video of which has gone viral. He plans to raise "the issue" now in the ongoing monsoon session of the Maharashtra assembly.

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 Rs.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...