A dispute between MPs from the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena and BJP MLAs is being held responsible for the delay in distributing sanitary napkins to girls in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) schools, alleges the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). As a form of protest, AAP activists affixed sanitary napkins to the municipal commissioner's car.
AAP women activists placed sanitary napkins on the civic chief's official car at the PMC headquarters to express their dissatisfaction.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the distribution of sanitary napkins to females in municipal schools was halted. Three suppliers participated in a tender process initiated by the PMC last year to procure napkins. However, orders were issued to both sides to proceed, leading to a dispute. A BJP MLA from Pune city sought a contract for sanitary napkins for a company, while a Shiv Sena MP from outside Pune district attempted to secure a contract for a company named Stayzy Hygiene. This disagreement left the civic body in a predicament and resulted in delays in the tendering process.
President of the AAP Women’s Wing, Surekha Bhosle, stated, “Commissioner Vikram Kumar heads the administration; he should have been aware of operational matters, but this indicates that some officials are withholding information about closed facilities. If citizens are subjected to such injustice, the Aam Aadmi Party will intensify its protests.”
Sudarshan Jagdale, AAP Pune city president, said, “If criminal cases are to be filed against party workers for protesting on civic issues, it is an affront to democracy. The Aam Aadmi Party has consistently raised the concerns of the masses with the administration, and today's protest is part of that. Activists have not committed a crime by advocating for women's health.”
According to a senior PMC official, a complaint was lodged at Shivajinagar Police Station against the protesters. Subsequently, 16 demonstrators were taken into custody by Shivajinagar Police Station for damaging government property on Thursday night.
Several AAP activists, including Raisa Siddiqui, Pooja Waghmare, Seema Tak, Shabana Shaikh, Surekha Bhosale, Chhaya Bhagat, Annie Anish, Shraddha Shetty, Shaheen Attar, Padma Salunkhe, and Tehseen Desai, were present at the protest.