Tensions at the MPSC protest in Pune increased on Thursday evening after police asked demonstrators to vacate the protest site, citing the possibility of traffic congestion and inconvenience to citizens. MLA Rohit Pawar refused to call off the agitation, saying it would continue until the students’ demands were addressed.
A large number of students and competitive examination aspirants have gathered at the site to press for changes related to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission. Police used a loudspeaker from a police van to repeatedly appeal to the protesters to clear the area.
The appeals created unease among protesters, who maintained that they should not be asked to leave without action on the issues raised by them. The agitation has brought an administrative dispute into a public setting where the police are also required to manage the movement of vehicles and the inconvenience caused to other citizens.
The students’ demands cover several aspects of the MPSC system, including transparency in examinations, examination procedures, recruitment to vacant posts and the functioning of the commission. The report did not specify the number of protesters at the site or identify the particular roads affected by the gathering.
Pawar has maintained that the agitation will continue until concrete decisions are taken on the demands. His refusal to call off the protest means the administration must address both the students’ concerns and the police’s stated concern over traffic and public inconvenience as the gathering continues.
The latest development places the next round of discussions between the administration and the protesters at the centre of the dispute. Those talks are expected to help determine whether the agitation continues at the current site or whether the participants and authorities agree on a different course of action.
