Pune: In a dramatic incident at the Pune Municipal Corporation, former BJP corporator Rajshree Kale attacked an RTI activist with a slipper during a confrontation over the construction of a hostel for tribal and backward class female students in Baner. The altercation, which occurred yesterday evening, has caused a significant stir in the city's political circles.
The incident unfolded when Rajshree Kale visited the Municipal Corporation's building department to follow up on the tender process for the hostel's final construction phase.
According to reports, the activist in question had been filing complaints that allegedly hindered the progress of the construction. During the visit, the activist threatened Kale, stating, "I will not let your work proceed; I will see how the work order is issued." This led to a heated verbal exchange, after which Kale left the area.
However, the situation escalated when the activist later entered an official's cabin where Kale was present. Enraged by his actions, Kale began hitting the activist with her slipper.
The activist attempted to escape by moving to another cabin, but Kale followed and continued the assault until other officials, including former BJP city president Jagdish Mulik, intervened.
The activist, known for his expertise in using the Right to Information Act and his connection with a Congress leader, has filed numerous complaints, some of which are believed to have been submitted using the Congress leader's letterhead. The incident has sparked questions about the activist's role and the motivation behind his actions.
The construction of the hostel in Baner, which is being built on one acre of land by the Pune Municipal Corporation, is nearly complete, with work finished up to the fourth floor.
The final phase involves painting, tile installation, and completing sanitary facilities, for which a tender worth two crore rupees was issued. The activist had filed a complaint against the contractor selected for this phase, leading to a legal review by the building department.
In response to the assault, former corporator Kale defended her actions, stating, "This activist has been deliberately obstructing the construction of the hostel for tribal students. Today, he unnecessarily spoke rudely to me and threatened me, so I hit him with my slipper. Everyone is fed up with his behavior."
Meanwhile, the executive engineer, Virendra Kelkar, confirmed that the "tender process was reviewed and found to be in order, though a legal opinion was sought due to the activist's complaint."
