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Fresh controversy erupts over naming of PMC cancer hospital after BJP leader’s father
Bhimale said the hospital was originally proposed in Salisbury Park, which falls under his ward, and that he had made efforts to secure financial provisions for the project
A fresh controversy has erupted in the BJP-ruled Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) after the civic body decided to name its newly built cancer hospital in Baner after the late Yashwantrao Bhimale, father of standing committee chairman and BJP leader Shreenath Bhimale. This marks the second instance of a civic facility being named after him. The naming decision surfaced just hours before chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is scheduled to inaugurate the hospital on Sunday, triggering criticism from civic activists as well as discontent within sections of the political party.
Bhimale said the hospital was originally proposed in Salisbury Park, which falls under his ward, and that he had made efforts to secure financial provisions for the project.
“It was later shifted to Baner, along with the reallocation of funds for the hospital,” he said.
This is not the first time Bhimale has faced criticism over naming a public facility after his father. Earlier, controversy had erupted after a civic garden in Salisbury Park was named after Yashwantrao Bhimale despite objections from local residents and activists.
Civic activist Vinita Deshmukh opposed the latest move and questioned the rationale behind naming multiple public properties after the same individual.
“We had agitated earlier when the Salisbury Park garden was named after Yashwantrao Bhimale. Citizens fought for nearly 40 years to save that garden. But at the last moment, Bhimale’s father’s name was given to it. What exactly is Yashwantrao Bhimale’s contribution that both a garden and now a cancer hospital are named after him?” Deshmukh said.
She urged Fadnavis and municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram to reconsider the decision.
“I appeal to the chief minister and the municipal commissioner to immediately drop the name,” she said.
The issue has also reportedly caused unease among BJP workers, particularly because Bhimale represents the Salisbury Park area while the cancer hospital is located in Baner.
During the earlier Salisbury Park naming controversy, senior BJP leader Girish Bapat had publicly expressed displeasure over the decision to name the garden after Bhimale’s father.
Sources in the PMC said the hospital’s name was kept under wraps until the last moment and became known to citizens only a few hours before the inauguration ceremony.
Repeated attempts to contact Bhimale for comment remained unsuccessful till late Saturday evening.
