Last Updated: February 11, 2024, 16:54 IST
Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Santosh Bangar. (PTI File Photo)
In the video, Bangar tells puzzled students that if their parents question them as to why they have not been eating, they should reply, Vote for Santosh Bangar
Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA Santosh Bangar found himself amid a raging controversy after he gave children bizarre advice to give up food for two days if their parents don’t vote for him. A purported video of his controversial remarks went viral on social media.
“If your parents don’t vote for me in the next election, don’t eat for two days,” Bangar could be seen telling children in a viral video, shot when he visited a zilla parishad school in Hingoli district.
आ. संतोष बांगर यांचा एक व्हिडिओ व्हायरलं होत आहे, यामध्ये ते म्हणतं आहेत की,”तुमच्या आई बापाला मला मतदान करायला लावा. नाही केल्यास दोन दिवस जेवण करू नका”आगामी लोकसभा निवडणुका डोळ्यासमोर ठेवून भारतीय निवडणूक आयोगाने एक नोटीस प्रसिद्ध केली आहे. (1)#santoshbangar #Elections2024 pic.twitter.com/6HWLadHEAI
— Sonali Minakshi Dadaso (@SonaliJ09227190) February 10, 2024
In the video, Bangar tells puzzled students that if their parents question them as to why they have not been eating, they should reply, Vote for Santosh Bangar, only then will we eat. All the children seem to be below 10 years old.
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.
The Shinde-Shiv Sena leader’s remarks came less than a week after the Election Commission issued directives against the use of children in poll-related activities and received intense criticism from Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP. The opposition leaders also demanded strict action against Bangar.
“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,” NCP-SP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also sought action by the poll agency 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, who often remains at the centre of controversies sparked another row last month when 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 also went viral.
