BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY CORPORATOR PROPOSED TO BUILD A LORD RAM MURAL ON A SPORTS GROUND AMID THE PANDEMIC 

Politics revolving around Hindu Rashtra has reached Pune, too. The standing committee approved a budget of Rs 2 crore for the mutual fund in the Dhankawadi-Ambegaon Pathar area. A Bhartiya Janta Party corporator proposed to build a Lord Ram Mural on a 1.5-acre ground. According to the BJP corporator Varsha Tapkir, the aim of building the mural is to get inspired by Ram beyond religion. The mural will be built in an area of 400sq ft and a height of 25 feet.

Nationalist Congress Party city president Prashant Jagtap opposed the proposal and said that it is an effort to promote a certain ideology. BJP is building the mural on demand by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and other Hindu groups.

Pune Municipal Corporation already has a cash crunch before the possible Covid 19 wave. Giving 2 crores for a mural during a crucial time is not fair. Bjp is giving a religious angle to our cultural, educational and historic city. Jagptap further said that the ground on which the mural will be built would be further used for religious activities when the purpose of the ground is for sports activities. Moreover, according to the development control regulations, the Erection of statues, temples and sculptures are not allowed. To which Tapkir responded that there is no such rule and the mural will be built.

Leader house of PMC, Ganesh Bidkar, opposed NCP's opposition and said that the party should've opposed the proposal in the standing committee meeting. Everybody gets fair representation in the committee meeting, and they are trying to create political disputes.

Meanwhile, Jagtap said that Punekars would strongly oppose the idea and not support BJP's hidden agenda as we people are against polarisation based on religion.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal