MUMBAI — At least two MLAs of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group are suddenly in the limelight — one for professing and the other for practicing — violence here on Tuesday, ahead of the Maharashtra Legislature Session starting on Wednesday.
They are Prakash Surve from Magathane (Mumbai) and Santosh Bangar from Kalamnuri (Hingoli), whose fury in words and deeds have gone viral on social media with sharp reactions.
On Sunday, while addressing a meeting in his constituency, Surve touched upon the tussle for supremacy between former CM Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and that of Shinde Group and apparently crossed the limits.
He told his supporters that while his group will not get into a scrap with anyone, if someone antagonizes them, then they will not be spared and “nobody’s ‘dadagiri’ (bullying) would be tolerated… you bash them up, I will protect you…”
“If you can’t break their arms then break their legs… ‘Thok do’, show them their place. Don’t worry… I, Prakash Surve will get you out on bail the next day,” the Shinde Group MLA thundered, even as his band of supporters cheered him lustily.
In Hingoli on Monday, Bangar went a step ahead to allegedly abuse, threaten and even assault a catering manager for reportedly dishing out sub-standard mid-day meals to unorganised labourers in the district.
Bangar is seen shouting at the manager whose identity is not clear, hurling abuses and then slapping him for serving ‘burnt chapatis’, plain rice and bland vegetables, and said he had received complaints in the matter.
He later called up an unidentified official to give an earful and accused him of corruption and also warned that he would “show them who is Bangar” as the person at the other end tried to mollify him.
Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Dr. Raghunath Kuchik slammed the developments and said “this is not Shinde Sena, but Goonde Sena (Goons Army) which is indulging in such tactics targetting political opponents and poor people.”
“Balasaheb Thackeray always taught us to protect the helpless and needy people, but see what this ‘Goonde Sena’ is doing… The people will teach them a lesson through the ballot box,” said Dr. Kuchik, who is also Bharatiya Kamgar Sena General Secretary.
He also warned that they are awaiting a ‘signal’ from Uddhav Thackeray and if the ‘Goonde Sena’ people continue trampling others, “we will teach them a lesson in our style”.
Meanwhile, taking strong umbrage over Surve’s threats, the local Shiv Sena unit has lodged a complaint with Dahisar police station, demanding action against the Shinde Group MLA. — IANS
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Cover photo: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis with 18 MLAs including nine BJP MLAs who took oath as ministers in Maharashtra Cabinet, at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on August 09, 2022. — IANS
