MPSC protest in Maharashtra: Sanjay Raut, Dipke demands ‘complete cleansing’ of commission, backs aspirants

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday extended their support to MPSC aspirants agitating here and demanded the removal of the chairman of the state recruiting body. They met the protesters and urged them to stay firm on their demands. Raut said the slogans raised by them should reach the ears of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, whom he accused of "pretending to be deaf". "This is the Jantar Mantar of Maharashtra. The pattern of Jantar Mantar is that the agitation continues till the demands are met," Raut said.

He said thousands of students from different parts of Maharashtra have been taking to the streets and are even prepared to face arrest to press for their demands linked to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). MPSC aspirants have been agitating in Pune with NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar by their side, seeking, among other demands, the removal of the commission's chairman and reforms to ensure greater transparency and fairness in the examination process.

"If, despite this, the government's eyes do not open, then I have to say one thing," Raut said, referring to the possibility of the agitation intensifying. He alleged that the government was attempting to create a division among the protesting students instead of holding discussions with their representatives.

"If this government's intentions were pure, it would not have created a split in the agitation. It should have come and held a dialogue with you and Rohit Pawar and understood your demands," he said. CM Fadnavis has stated that the government has accepted all the demands, Raut said, asking why the students were still protesting if that claim was true.

Also read Uniform exam pattern, DigiLocker applications and grievance cell among MPSC reforms

"The demand is complete cleansing (of MPSC), from top to bottom. A government which cannot conduct polls fairly, how can it conduct examinations fairly?" he asked. Raut also alleged that attempts were being made to place people belonging to a particular ideology in the administration. He said the protesters should remain confident that those currently holding key positions and opposing their demands would eventually have to go. "You have to have this confidence. Till the time such confidence is there, no wrong person can be appointed to key positions," Raut said.

Referring to the demonstration in Mumbai on Sunday morning, Raut claimed that "lakhs of people" had taken to the streets in a massive morcha led by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. However, the BJP dismissed such protests as "chirkut" (insignificant), he said. For me, they were very scared," he claimed. Raut said the youth had the power to change the course of events and bring about the desired change.

"Today, the youth is at the centre. If this government is not ready to listen to the youth, whom are they going to listen to?" he asked. Raut said if the agitation by MPSC aspirants starts spreading across Maharashtra, the CM could find it difficult to leave Varsha, his official residence in south Mumbai. The Rajya Sabha MP also targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying he believed Kumar would eventually have to go, in an apparent reference to the ongoing protests demanding the CEC's removal. He alleged that a "white-collar mafia" was attempting to gain control of the administration.

"They want 'andha bhakts'. But we have started the work of bringing the 'nasha' down," Raut said. Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray was scheduled to visit the protesting aspirants but could not attend as he was unwell, Raut said, adding that Thackeray would definitely come to extend his support to the students. After meeting the protesters, Dipke urged them not to relent until MPSC Chairman Rajesh Bhimanwar resigns.

"Do not leave this place until the MPSC Chairman resigns. The Cockroach Janata Party fully supports you," he said. He recalled CJP's agitation demanding the resignation of the then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying people had asked him what difference one resignation would make. "I had no answer, but I said the resignation must happen because there is something called accountability," he said. Dipke alleged that Fadnavis had appointed his "friend" as the MPSC chairman.

"Why did Fadnavis make that appointment? What was the qualification? The only qualification was 'friends with benefits'. The benefit means the benefit of corruption," he alleged. Meanwhile, state minister Nitesh Rane also visited another group of MPSC aspirants who are staging a parallel protest in the Navi Peth area.