NCP-SP Working President and Member of Parliament Supriya Sule on Saturday, 30 May demanded that Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar be sent on compulsory leave, amid mounting protests over the Pune hooch tragedy in which 16 people died after consuming illicit liquor. Sule cited a Union Ministry of Home Affairs report to argue that law and order in Pune has collapsed entirely.

The Demand and Its Basis

Sule, speaking to reporters, pointed to the MHA report which, according to her, ranks Pune first in Maharashtra and fifth across India in terms of crime. She argued this made the case for immediate administrative accountability at the top of the city's police hierarchy.

'The Central government's Home Ministry report clearly states that Pune ranks first in the state and fifth in the country in terms of crime. Therefore, the Pune Police Commissioner must be sent on compulsory leave immediately,' she said. She added that crimes were being 'committed under the shield of extortion and bribery,' calling the tragedy 'a complete failure of the government.'

Sule said she retained faith in Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, referencing the Nasrapur case as an instance where the administration had responded with a prompt charge sheet. However, she stressed that prevention — not just prosecution — must be the standard.

Sharp Jibe at BJP Over 'Congress-Mukt Bharat'

Pivoting to broader political developments, Sule trained her fire on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning the credibility of its long-running 'Congress-mukt Bharat' slogan. She said that in Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) district, virtually the entire BJP district leadership — barring Ram Shinde — was drawn from former Congress legislators and parliamentarians.

'The very people BJP wanted to reject to make India Congress-free have all joined the BJP. People wanted change, but what actually changed? The same 100 families that were previously in the Congress are now in the BJP,' she said. She asked pointedly: 'Did Congress-mukt Bharat mean that you would absorb the entire Congress party into yours?'

Concern for Sidelined BJP Veterans

Sule also expressed sympathy for long-standing BJP workers she said had been marginalised. She invoked the name of former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar as an example of a committed ideological voice who had, in her view, been pushed to the sidelines.

'What about the workers who stood by the BJP's ideology, carried its carpets, faced cane charges, and struggled when the party was in the Opposition? Where are they now?' she asked. 'I am slowly beginning to wonder if political ideology or merit even matters anymore.'

Contractor Corruption Allegation Against Bhujbal

On factional tensions within the political landscape, Sule distanced herself from the reported friction between Parth Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal's camps, but raised a separate concern. She said she had received a video in which a contractor from Bhujbal's department alleged that supply contracts had been awarded to a narrow set of preferred contractors over several years.

'I am not making direct allegations, but you should ask Bhujbal Saheb about this. If there is corruption involved, it must be investigated,' she said. Sule confirmed she would write a formal letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the matter, adding: 'I expect the Chief Minister to act and protect the taxpayers' money.'

What Comes Next

The Pune hooch tragedy has intensified scrutiny of the city's police administration and the state government's handling of illicit liquor networks. With Sule set to formally write to the Chief Minister, the political pressure on Fadnavis to act on the Police Commissioner's tenure — and on the broader corruption allegations — is expected to mount in the days ahead.