Don't eat if your parents don't vote for me: Shiv Sena MLA's bizarre diktat to kids
Mumbai (PTI): An MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has courted controversy by asking children not to eat for two days if their parents don't vote for him.
Kalamnuri MLA Santosh Bangar's remarks came less than a week after the Election Commission issued directives against the use of children in poll-related activities.
"If your parents don't vote for me in the next election, don't eat for two days," Bangar is seen telling school children in a viral video, shot when he visited a zilla parishad school in Hingoli district.
Bangar is seen telling the puzzled students, all less than 10 years old, that if their parents question their refusal to eat, they should reply, "Vote for Santosh Bangar, only then will we eat."
The MLA then asked the children to repeat and recite what they would say in front of their parents about whom to vote for in the next elections.
Bangar's remarks have prompted leaders from the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP to seek action against him.
NCP-SP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, "What Bangar told the school children goes against the directive of the Election Commission, therefore, strict action must be taken against him. He is a repeat offender and goes scot-free as he is an ally of the BJP. The Commission must act against him without prejudice."
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar sought action by the Election Commission against Bangar and also wondered if the state education minister was sleeping when an MLA of his party was making such remarks to school children.
Bangar is known for his shocking remarks and actions, which have been the subject of much controversy in the past.
Last month, he said he would hang himself if Narendra Modi did not return as Prime Minister after the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
In August last year, he was booked by the Kalamnuri police for allegedly brandishing a sword during a festive rally.
In 2022, a video of him slapping a catering manager of a midday meal programme for labourers had gone viral.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
