Pune: Residents of scores of villages in Mulshi have launched a public campaign against the term ‘‘Mulshi Pattern’, saying its association with crime has been damaging to businesses and tourism to the region.In a meeting this week, attended by representatives from most of Mulshi’s 93 gram panchayats, residents demanded that references linking the region to criminal activity be removed from films and other platforms, and that measures be taken to prevent use of such references in the future.“Mulshi has produced scientists and we have a strong history of Warkari tradition. The term ‘Mulshi Pattern’ makes it seem like we’re a hub of crime. In fact, crimes that have occurred somewhere else are almost always linked to Mulshi area if there’s a certain ‘pattern’ involved,” said Ganesh Satpute, a member of the organization Aamhi Mulshikar.‘Mulshi Pattern’ is the name of a 2018 Marathi movie in which the lead character turns to a life of crime after his father is forced by gangsters to sell the family’s agricultural land. The film’s popularity, residents argued, hurt the area’s reputation.“Tourists on their way to Tamhini Ghat, Andharban and Palshi waterfall often stop here and ask about crime here. They worry about being robbed,” said Sunil Pasalkar, sarpanch of Mulshi Khurd, a village with a population of around 2,000 people. Pasalkar said the problem has impacted families and businesses.“Our families can’t find brides for their sons,” he said, “and local businesses suffer because tourists are reluctant to eat at our restaurants and stay in our hotels. They think criminals roam these parts,” he added.The meeting this week, organized by the Save Mulshi Coordination Committee, was attended by members of political parties, ex-servicemen, farmers’ organisations and several women and young people.Kajal More, a former corporate employee who is now a Panchayat Samiti member in Mulshi, said she had raised this issue during her election campaign.“I worked in the IT sector for 10 years before entering politics. And I had told people I would work hard to remove this stigma of crime. Educated people like me and others from Mulshi who work hard in various fields are the real identity of Mulshi, not the crime that is being wrongly projected,” she said.She said focus should be on Mulshi’s strong Warkari tradition and its tourism potential.“When people elected me, my first promise was to change this negative perception. I will achieve that,” More added.Satpute of Aamhi Mulshikar said authorities must consider the residents’ demands.“We heard there’s now a sequel to Mulshi Pattern in the works. The first film already caused us damage. We don’t want a sequel hurting us further,” he said.Mulshi Pattern director Pravin Tarde had not responded to TOI’s calls and texts on Thursday. His comments are awaited.
