Pune, 27th April 27, 2026: Members of the Pune City District Congress Committee staged a protest outside the District Collector’s office on Sunday, demanding action against spiritual leader Dhirendra Shastri over his alleged remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The protest was organised following directives from the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and was led by city president Arvind Shinde.
Addressing the gathering, Shinde criticised the alleged remarks and questioned the silence of prominent leaders, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. He alleged that despite the statements being made in their presence, no condemnation was issued.
Shinde termed the remarks as objectionable and called for immediate action against Shastri. He also alleged that repeated instances of perceived disrespect towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would not be tolerated in Maharashtra.
The protest saw participation from several party leaders and workers, including Prashant Jagtap, Sanjay Balgude, Ajit Darekar, Mehboob Nadaf, Yashraj Parkhi, corporators Dipali Dokh and Ashwini Landge, women’s wing president Swati Shinde, and others.
Congress leaders submitted a memorandum to the district administration demanding strict action against those making derogatory statements about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Meanwhile, Dhirendra Shastri has issued an apology over the controversy. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has termed the allegations as baseless. There was no immediate response from the other leaders named at the time of reporting.
