Pune Ganeshotsav DJ Dispute Draws Political Fire After Assault
A political dispute over DJ and loudspeaker use during Pune’s Ganeshotsav intensified after Vidyanand Bapat was allegedly assaulted on Thursday at Tilak Road while speaking to TV9 about his opposition to amplified sound in public places. Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) leader Rupali Thombare Patil subsequently criticised Bapat’s position in a Facebook post and said decisions about the city’s Ganeshotsav should be taken by Pune residents.
According to the report, Bapat has, in recent days, publicly opposed the use of DJs and loudspeakers in public spaces. During the incident on Tilak Road, Santosh Chavan allegedly struck Bapat in the face while he was interacting with the television channel. The report does not provide details of Bapat’s injuries, whether a formal police case has been registered, or the legal sections applied in connection with the assault.
Thombare Patil’s response focused on Bapat’s background and his position on the festival. In her post, she said a person who had come to Pune from Ratnagiri for employment seven years ago should not tell Pune residents how to celebrate Ganeshotsav. She also referred to the festival’s long association with the city’s traditional neighbourhoods and public streets.
She cited areas including Narayan Peth, Shaniwar Peth, Laxmi Road and Lokmanya Tilak Road, and described the participation of local residents and workers in collecting contributions and organising celebrations. Her post argued that the debate involved more than the use of DJs, pointing to the wider cultural practices associated with the festival.
“Pune residents’ festival will be decided by Pune residents,” she wrote, while describing Pune’s Ganeshotsav as a source of local pride and as a festival with significance across Maharashtra. She also said that people living in Pune should understand the city’s culture and opposed what she characterised as attempts to gain publicity by criticising the festival.
The comments have emerged amid a continuing public debate over the use of amplified sound during religious and civic celebrations. The report does not specify the permitted sound levels, operating hours, permissions or enforcement action applicable to the disputed events. It also does not include a response from Bapat, the Pune police or the Pune Municipal Corporation to Thombare Patil’s remarks.
A separate report cited in the coverage said that a march demanding a DJ-free Ganeshotsav was planned at the Pune Municipal Corporation on Sunday following the assault. Details about the organisers, route, permissions and expected participation were not provided in the available material.
The next reported development is the planned Sunday demonstration at the Pune Municipal Corporation, while the circumstances of the assault and the authorities’ response remain to be established through official confirmation.