Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has been in the spotlight for the agency's efforts for his statewide drive targeting food adulteration, hygiene and those operating without proper licenses.
Since the IAS officer took charge as the agency's chief on May 25 this year, the agency has conducted raids and taken action against several popular eateries and retailers. Owing to his image, Mundhe was recently, at a round-table interview to NDTV Profit, asked whether he would ever consider joining politics, owing to his image as a “guardian of the law” and “executor of the law.”
However, the FDA chief, in a straightforward answer, ruled out any career in politics, saying it is “not his cup of tea.” “The person like me who is very forthright and upright, I don't think he will be or she will be accepted in politics,” Mundhe said.
‘Many people call me arrogant…’
Speaking to NDTV Profit, Mundhe said many people called him “arrogant”. “There is a very, very thin line between forthright and, I mean, arrogant,” the Maharashtra FDA chief said, adding that it was his “nature.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to NDTV Profit, Mundhe said many people called him “arrogant”. “There is a very, very thin line between forthright and, I mean, arrogant,” the Maharashtra FDA chief said, adding that it was his “nature.”
{{/usCountry}}“It's not something artificial,” he further said, drawing a distinction between his current role, which allows him to help frame regulations and rules, and being elected. “Whether I can frame the law as a secretary, we are in the process of doing that,” Maharashtra's food safety officer said. However, when pressed on whether he would join electoral politics, he gave a curt answer, saying, “Absolutely not.”
With the Maharashtra FDA raiding several manufacturers, wholesalers, eateries and retailers over the past few months, Mundhe has been at the centre of this wave. The FDA recently busted an abortion medicine racket in Nagpur and Solapur districts and filed cases against eight individuals, including directors of online portal IndiaMART, PTI news agency reported. Apart from this, popular eateries have also come under the agency's scanner.
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‘More transfers, more opportunities’: Mundhe
Mundhe, considered to be an upright civil servant, has seen 25 transfers throughout his 21-year career. However, speaking at an event in Pune last week, he said he was not bothered by frequent transfers and instead sees them as an outlet to bring about “positive changes.”
“Frequent transfers do not trouble me. In fact, change is an integral part of progress. The more transfers I have, the more opportunities I get to bring about positive changes,” PTI cited him as saying.