Mumbai: Shiv Sena workers in party MP Ravindra Gaikwad's Osmanabad constituency, on Friday burnt an effigy of the Air India staffer, who was assaulted by the leader, triggering a slew of protests.

Osmanabad district and tehsil unit functionaries of the Sena gathered at Babasaheb Ambedkar statue at Tuljapur and burnt the effigy, district vice president of Sena, Kamlakar Chavan said.

"We burnt the effigy of the AI purser to support our MP who is our source of inspiration. We are proud of what he did as he was responding to the insult heaped by the airline on him," Chavan said.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde said party president Uddhav Thackeray will take a decision on the Gaikwad issue.

"I feel it is not alright for people's representatives to turn violent," the minister said.

Shiv Sena has sought an explanation from Gaikwad who hit an Air India staffer at IGI airport in Delhi with a slipper, and remained defiant over the incident.

ALSO READ: Is Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad a Habitual Offender?

"The party has sought an explanation from Gaikwad over the incident. The Sena does not condone violence of any kind," Harshal Pradhan, media adviser to Sena president said.

Speaking to reporters outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in Mumbai, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik too said the party does not endorse the act.

He was however of the view that airline companies and railways should respect people's representatives.

We Should Know What Made Gaikwad do Such a Thing: Sena

However, Shiv Sena on Friday said it would not condone the action of its MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who hit an Air India staffer with a slipper and then openly boasted about it.

A party spokesperson, however, said Gaikwad was not a person who would jump into such a thing and it was necessary to know what made him lose his temper.

"Shiv Sena does not subscribe to any such reaction by any of our party members," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, reacting to Gaikwad assaulting an Air India employee. "We must agree that he has accepted to his action or reaction," she said.

"Gaikwad is known as 'Ravi Sir' and is very popular in his constituency. He has worked a lot towards solving the water problems of his region," she said.

"We really should know what made him lose his temper. He is not a person who would suddenly jump into such a thing," Kayande said.

None of the senior Sena leaders, including party president Uddhav Thackeray, have so far commented on Gaikwad's action today.

Air India lodges complaint with police against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad for allegedly assaulting airline staffer at Delhi airport.

ALSO READ: Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad Attacks AI Staffer With Slipper; Airline Files FIR

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