MPSC paper-leak row: Activists blacken secretary’s face, 3 arrested; Oppn mounts pressure

Activists from the Sambhaji Brigade smeared the face of the commission’s secretary Mahendra Harpalkar with black powder inside the MPSC’s CBD Belapur headquarters

NAVI MUMBAI/ MUMBAI: The furore surrounding the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) paper-leak controversy turned into a confrontation on Friday when three activists from the Sambhaji Brigade smeared the face of the commission’s secretary Mahendra Harpalkar with black powder inside the MPSC’s CBD Belapur headquarters. They threatened a similar act against MPSC chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar if the government failed to remove both from their respective posts.

MPSC paper-leak row: Activists blacken secretary’s face, 3 arrested; Oppn mounts pressure

The three – the outfit’s state vice-president Annasaheb Sawant, Mumbai president Suhas Rane and regional coordinator Dr Yogesh Patil -- were subsequently arrested. According to DCP Zone II Amit Kale, Sawant and Rane blackened Harpalkar’s face while Patil filmed the act.

This is not the first time the socio-political outfit has indulged in such an aggressive protest. It drew widespread national attention in 2004 when a large group of its members vandalised and ransacked the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune, alleging the institute’s scholars had assisted American scholar James Laine in compiling objectionable remarks for the controversial book ‘Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India’ on the Maratha king.

Sambhaji Brigade’s recent act came a day after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis attempted to pacify MPSC aspirants by announcing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged malpractices in the evaluation and exam processes, and a committee to recommend comprehensive reforms in the exam system. Despite the reassurances, pressure to remove the MPSC secretary and chairperson is mounting.

Even as videos of Friday’s incident were widely shared on social media, opposition parties -- while denouncing the outfit’s manner of protest -- ramped up their offensive against the ruling Mahayuti.

Sambhaji Brigade’s state spokesperson Santosh Shinde told HT: “This is a warning to the MPSC chairman and an appeal to the chief minister. The secretary’s face has been blackened. This is just the trailer; the chairman is still to come—remember this. Until the MPSC system is improved, the Sambhaji Brigade will not sit quietly. This agitation will continue.” The outfit’s state president Manoj Akhare stated that the Brigade had submitted a memorandum on August 3 regarding the alleged paper-leaks, but since no action was taken, Friday’s incident was a “people’s outburst” reflecting the frustration of 15–20 lakh MPSC aspirants.

Slamming the government, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray met Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, along with legislators, on Friday urging him to direct the government to order a judicial probe into the issue. He warned that while aspirants have been protesting in other cities and districts, it was only a matter of time before the protests reached Mumbai, with the youth demanding the removal of the MPSC secretary and chairperson.

“Governor Jishnu Dev Varma gave us a patient hearing and promised to look into the matter urgently. If the government does not accept students’ demands, those from the districts will reach Mumbai and organise massive protests,” said Thackeray. He also called attention to an MPSC aspirant from Dharashiv dying by suicide two days ago in Pune, unable to repay the loan his family took for his MPSC prep.

On the other hand, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar participated in a student protest in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Friday, with similar demands. “While the CM held a meeting with a select group of student representatives and made a few promises, some other demands were not considered. Protests will therefore continue across the state, and we will support them. I will join the protests in Latur on Saturday,” he said, adding that “the government’s many SIT probes have rarely yielded any result”.

Meanwhile, after the three members of the Sambhaji Brigade were arrested, DCP Kale said the trio sought an appointment to meet the secretary on Thursday, claiming they wanted to submit evidence related to the investigation. On Friday, on the pretext of handing over a stack of books, two of them approached Harpalkar and blackened his face.

Kale said: “We have already posted a team of police outside the MPSC office who will be there 24X7. The situation is under control now.”

After the arrests were made, MPSC chairperson Bhimanwar told HT: “The commission will seek action in the matter.”