Pune Incident Sparks Political Row as MNS Workers Remove Prime Minister’s Image

A contentious episode at Pune’s Government Polytechnic College has led to the arrest of MNS activist Ashish Sabale. The Chaturshrungi police station took Sabale into custody on Wednesday after he was linked to the alleged forced removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s portrait from a wall inside the principal’s office.

The controversy began when Amit Thackeray, son of MNS chief Raj Thackeray and head of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, visited the campus to meet students and evaluate hostel, mess and sanitation facilities. During the visit, students pointed out a wall displaying Modi’s picture alongside those of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Thackeray expressed that Shivaji and Ambedkar are revered symbols of Maharashtra and should not be placed on the same pedestal as a current political leader. Following his objection, MNS members are accused of taking down the Prime Minister’s image despite the college administration’s protest.

Principal Dr. Rajendra Kashiram Patil filed a complaint, leading police to register an FIR against Amit Thackeray and roughly twenty‑plus MNS operatives under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, such as unlawful assembly, criminal trespass, obstruction of a public servant, and criminal intimidation, as well as relevant clauses of the Maharashtra Police Act.

Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and gathering witness testimonies to identify all participants. The case has ignited a sharp political debate, with MNS framing the act as a defense of Shivaji’s honor, while opposition parties, including the BJP, criticize it as a display of political immaturity.