Pune: Reacting to political barbs on the issue of L3 pub drug video in Pune, BJP leader and Minister Chandrakant Patil has commented, "Such alarming incidents did not occur when I was Pune's Guardian Minister."
Patil's comments have sparked a controversy in political circles as he was replaced as Pune's Guardian Minister by Ajit Pawar in October 2023.
Patil was reacting to criticism of the state government from MLA Ravindra Dhangekar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare, who are calling for stringent action in this case.
Patil elaborated, stating, "During my tenure, not only did such incidents not occur, but there were no events that would cause widespread concern." He later attempted to clarify, "I don't recall if such incidents happened or not. You might not remember either. But can we confidently claim none happened? Pune's population has grown from 14 lakh to 70 lakh. With the city's development in industry, business, education, and healthcare, there is increased crowding. The police administration must be vigilant and maintain control to prevent such incidents."
Recently, drug abuse has become a contentious issue in Pune. Following the viral video, Dhangekar and Andhare criticized the coalition ministers. Minister Patil countered, stating, "It is not appropriate to hold ministers directly responsible for all such incidents. If it is proven that ministers are involved, then such comments are justified."
A video showing minors consuming drugs at a prestigious hotel on FC Road has gone viral on social media, causing a significant stir in the city. In response to the incident, police have seized materials from the hotel and detained several individuals.
Dhangekar also highlighted the issue of late-night pub operations, stating, "Pubs in Pune and its surrounding areas are operating until 3 AM. We had previously presented a list of pub owners to the Commissioner of Police. Do not force us to do it again. The police should take action against pub owners, or else we will protest again in front of the Commissioner of Police's office. Minister Shambhuraj Desai only gives assurances of action but behaves like a butcher, doing nothing," he remarked.
