Sena MLA's Shocker On Farmer Suicides. Party Fumes, Weighs Suspension

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad is facing potential suspension following his insensitive comments on farmer suicides, sources have said. The Maharashtra lawmaker had sparked outrage with his remarks on farmer suicides while speaking in Buldhana.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Gaikwad had urged people not to attend funerals of farmers who die by suicide. "Only when people realise that their bodies may be eaten by animals and understand what happens to their remains will they stop committing suicide," the MLA said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reportedly expressed deep anger over Gaikwad's statement. The leadership feels that such remarks severely damage the party's image at a time when Shiv Sena is actively working to support the agricultural community.

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This incident is the latest in a long history of public controversies surrounding the legislator.

In February 2024, he raised eyebrows by wearing a tiger tooth pendant and claiming he had hunted a tiger in 1987. His remark led to a probe by the forest department. A month later, he was back with another controversy after a video surfaced showing him hitting a young man with a police baton during a procession.

Gaikwad's legal troubles deepened in September 2024 when he announced Rs 11 lakh reward for anyone who would cut Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's tongue.

Fast forward to January 2025, after winning his assembly seat by a slim margin, he sparked an outrage by insulting voters, claiming that they traded their votes for money, meat, and alcohol.

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The administrative and public conflicts continued throughout 2025. In August 2024, he drew flak when a police guard was filmed cleaning his personal SUV. In April 2025, he labelled the Maharashtra police force as the most incompetent and corrupt in the world. A few months later, in July, he physically assaulted a canteen worker at the Mumbai MLA hostel over food quality.

In April this year, the MLA was accused of threatening a publisher over the title of activist Govind Pansare's book on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.