Pune: The Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad (MSP) is embroiled in controversy as the Protection Action Committee, led by Milind Kamble, has accused the current executive committee of being unconstitutional and demanded that elections be announced immediately.
Kamble revealed these allegations during a press conference held on October 4. Present at the conference were Prof. Dhananjay Kulkarni, the Committee’s Working President, and Shashank Mahajan, the Convener.
The term of MSP’s executive committee ended in 2021, but the committee passed a resolution during the Annual General Meeting, seeking a five-year extension of its term. Kamble criticized this move, calling it unconstitutional and illegal.
"The resolution passed by the executive committee is in direct violation of the organization’s constitutional guidelines. We demand that elections be held without further delay, as the committee's term expired three years ago," said Kamble.
A petition has already been filed by MSP member Vijay Shendge with the Charity Commissioner’s office, and hearings are currently underway.
However, Kamble urged that elections be declared immediately, without waiting for the petition’s outcome. He further emphasized that the elections should be held under the supervision of an observer from the Charity Commissioner’s office.
Prof. Dhananjay Kulkarni highlighted that the term extension resolution was passed under the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Even though the severity of the pandemic has decreased, the resolution remains unconstitutional. Furthermore, the Charity Commissioner has not approved the resolution, which makes the current executive committee’s authority questionable. To add to this, several membership applications remain pending under the current committee’s oversight," said Kulkarni.
In another development, the office of the All India Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, which organizes the prestigious Marathi Literature Conference, is scheduled to be transferred to the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, Pune, in March 2025.
However, Kulkarni stated that a letter has been sent to Prof. Usha Tambe, President of the Mahamandal, requesting the postponement of this transfer until MSP's elections are held, as the current executive committee’s legitimacy is being questioned.
