PUNE: The proceedings of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) were disrupted on Monday after opposition corporators from the Congress and NCP (SP) staged a symbolic protest, wearing construction helmets and black armbands to oppose what they described as the “aggressive and intimidating” behaviour of BJP members. Congress councillor and Pune City Congress President Prashant Jagtap, along with several Congress and NCP corporators, arrived for the session wearing helmets, according to news agency PTI. They alleged there was a fear of attack from BJP members inside the civic body hall. The protest comes after chaotic scenes and a physical altercation during the previous General Body Meeting over a dispute following the demolition of an old dargah by the PMC last month. That meeting had seen heated exchanges and scuffles inside the assembly hall, heightening tensions within the civic body. Speaking ahead of the session, Jagtap said the helmet protest was meant to draw attention to what he called an “unsafe environment” for opposition members. . “After the violence and aggression witnessed in the last General Body Meeting, there is fear among opposition members. Wearing helmets is a symbolic protest against the deteriorating atmosphere inside the PMC,” he said. According to news agency PTI, BJP leaders rejected the allegations, calling the protest a political stunt aimed at gaining publicity. In a separate development, Uddhav Thackeray said he would soon present his side on the ongoing political developments within his party amid a major setback following the defection of six Lok Sabha MPs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Speaking to reporters, Thackeray avoided detailed comments but indicated he would respond at the appropriate time. “When I feel the time is right, I will call the media and speak to you. Let them present their position. We will soon put forward our side as well,” Thackeray said. The remarks came after six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde welcomed the development, saying it strengthened his party’s position in Parliament. The MPs — Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar — had earlier skipped a parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi, triggering speculation of a split within the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. Shinde said the induction was part of a continuing political realignment. “Today, we welcome all these six kattar Shivsainik MPs into the original Shiv Sena of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. In 2022, we carried out a revolt when 40 MLAs joined us, and that was to save the Shiv Sena of Balasaheb. This is the second phase of that same movement. We are here to preserve the ideology of Shiv Sena and Balasaheb, and that is why these MPs have decided to come to the original Shiv Sena,” Shinde said. The political confrontation between the two factions has intensified, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders accusing the defectors of betraying the party’s ideology, while the Shinde camp maintains the MPs joined due to confidence in Shinde’s leadership and constituency development concerns.
