The Maharashtra Navnirman Vidhyatri Sena (MNVS) organized a signature campaign against the growing pub and nightlife culture in Pune. The campaign-cum-protest took place on busy Laxmi Road in the city center, led by the student wing of the MNS. The protest came in response to the Porsche accident that claimed the lives of two techies in Kalyaninagar on May 19. MNS protesters chanted slogans against pub owners and called for a complete shutdown of pubs in Pune.
Dhanjay Dalvi, an office bearer of MNVS, Pune, stated, “The rising pub culture and nightlife are destroying the crux of Pune city. Pune, which is known to be the cultural capital of the state, has lost its glory owing to pubs and nightclubs, which are proving to be a menace to the citizens. The pub owners mostly are wealthy and have strong political networks that help them get safe passage even if they do not have a valid license or permission. Most of the time, they violate the guidelines of the authorities. We demand strict action to be taken against such pubs and their owners.”
A surprise visit by Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar to the MNS platform raised many eyebrows. Dhangekar, who is a former MNS party worker in Pune, surprised the protestors when he stepped out of his car and supported the MNVS signature campaign by signing on the board. MLA Dhangekar, while talking to LokamtTimes.com, said, “This issue is beyond party politics, and we Punekars are in this together. We demand strict action against the pubs and bars violating the rules.”
Sarang Saraf, a member of the state managing committee of the MNVS, while talking to LokmatTimes.com, said, “This time, we took the Gandhigiri approach to protest against the rising pub culture that is ruining the culture of Pune. The recent incident in Kalyaninagar is more than enough for people to understand the drawbacks of late-night bars and nightclubs. We demand that the state authorities should take strict action against the pubs and nightclubs; otherwise, next time, we won't be protesting peacefully.”