MPSC stir: Pawar asks Fadnavis to open dialogue; Sena MLA seeks commission’s dismissal

PUNE: A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi backed the agitation by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday urged chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to immediately open a dialogue with the protesters

PUNE: A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi backed the agitation by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday urged chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to immediately open a dialogue with the protesters. “There is unrest among aspirants in Pune, Mumbai and other parts of the state,” he told reporters on Sunday. “The state government needs to engage with the aspirants to end the impasse.”

The MPSC has been under a cloud, with candidates staging a protest in Pune over repeated paper leaks, and opposition parties targeting the Mahayuti government for this. On Sunday evening, an opposition leader, the Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, joined the protesters at the agitation site near S M Joshi Bridge in Pune

Sharad Pawar’s remarks, meanwhile, came a day after Gandhi extended his support to the aspirants, who have been demanding greater transparency in competitive examinations conducted by the MPSC, administrative reforms in the commission and the removal of MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar. Interestingly, a member of the ruling Shiv Sena, MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, on Sunday also demanded not only Bhimanwar’s dismissal but that of the entire Commission.

Pawar said that some of the protesting aspirants had met him and shared their concerns and demands. “The aspirants are willing to hold talks with the chief minister,” he said. “I am prepared to be a part of the talks if I can help end the deadlock. If the CM and his ministers do not hold a dialogue, the issue will not be resolved.” Pawar said that he had called Fadnavis and urged him to immediately look into the matter.

Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut too expressed support for the aspirants and said the government should not ignore their demands. He also called for the chief minister to meet the protesters and find a solution to the stalemate.

Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLA Sanjay Gaikwad on Sunday spoke to the media at his office in Buldhana, lambasting the repeated paper leak incidents and alleging serious irregularities in the commission’s functioning. “I may be an MLA of the ruling party, but it is necessary to bring the truth out,” he said, adding that he would submit a complaint, along with evidence, to Fadnavis.

Gaikwad claimed that apart from paper leaks, there could also be serious irregularities in the evaluation of answer sheets and demanded a thorough investigation into the entire MPSC system. He added that the functioning of several MPSC members was under a cloud of suspicion, and the interests and future of meritorious candidates were being adversely affected.

The MLA levelled serious allegations against one MPSC member in particular linked to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and demanded a high-level inquiry into his conduct. Claiming that the member had been serving on the commission since 2018 and major irregularities had taken place during his tenure, the MLA demanded an investigation into his assets and examination of his call detail records. He alleged that the member wielded considerable influence and that answer sheets of candidates were sent to select individuals for evaluation at his behest.

The state government, meanwhile, has set up a high-level committee to review the existing examination system. Its members are holding discussions with candidates and other stakeholders before submitting their recommendations to the government.

Gandhi on Saturday wrote on X, “The demands of the protestors are not unjust. They need action and not assurances. I will raise the issue before the Maharashtra government and demand a permanent solution. The institution that determines students’ future has been hijacked. We will not let it continue.”