Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Thursday, 7 May alleged that crimes against women have sharply increased in Pune following Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis's projection as the "architect of new Pune." Sapkal made the allegations at a ceremony to inaugurate a 45-metre flagpole in the city.

Crime Statistics Cited by Congress

Sapkal alleged that 700 cases of sexual exploitation were reported in Pune between January and March 2025 — roughly one rape every day. "Drugs are being sold openly, sickle gangs are creating terror, and criminal interference in the Gultekdi Market Yard has risen. Are these developments also part of Devendra Fadnavis's 'architecture'?" Sapkal questioned.

The programme began with tributes paid to the four-year-old victim from Nasrapur, Pune, and other victims of crimes against women and children. The allegations have not been independently verified, and the state government has not yet issued a formal response to the specific figures cited.

Attack on Underground Road Project

Sapkal also targeted the proposed 54-kilometre underground road project in Pune, valued at ₹34,000 crore, alleging massive corruption. He claimed no public hearing was conducted before announcing the project and that elected corporators were not consulted. "The project would only deepen corruption in Pune, and people must raise their voices against it," he said.

Remarks on Operation Sindoor and Foreign Policy

Sapkal also made pointed allegations about India's foreign policy posture, claiming that during Operation Sindoor, the United States "suddenly announced a ceasefire" and that India was "allegedly forced into a trade agreement under American pressure." He further alleged that the US is pressuring India to stop purchasing crude oil from Russia, and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "has remained silent because he has surrendered" — allegations that remain unverified and have not been corroborated by official sources.

RSS and Tricolour Controversy

The Congress president also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were attempting to distort the meaning and spirit of the Indian tricolour. He claimed the RSS did not hoist the tricolour at its offices for nearly 50–55 years after Independence. "Our fight is between the black caps opposing the tricolour and the ideology of Manusmriti opposing the Constitution," Sapkal said.

Political Context

The allegations come at a politically charged moment in Maharashtra, with the BJP-led state government under scrutiny over law and order in urban centres. Sapkal's broadside — spanning crime statistics, infrastructure contracts, and foreign policy — signals that the Indian National Congress (INC) intends to mount a sustained campaign against the Fadnavis administration ahead of upcoming civic elections. Whether the government responds to the specific crime data cited will be closely watched.