Protests mar Vidyaniketan day

The immediate cause for the Congress-sponsored demonstrations was Mathkari’s decision to advance the celebrations, originally scheduled for August 20, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

This raised the hackles of Tiwari, who once represented the ward at the PMC and is currently vice-president of the State Youth Congress. According to him, the Vidyaniketan was formally inaugurated on August 20 during his tenure as corporator. Mathkari claimed the Vidyaniketan had started functioning on July 20 even prior to the formal inauguration “planned and organised” by Tiwari.

Caught in the crossfire, civic school board chairman Dattatraya Ubhe, a couple of days ago, issued contradictory orders in writing to the administration within a couple of hours. The first order, issued at the instance of Tiwari, sought to cancel the celebrations slated for July 20. The other one, issued after receiving Mathkari’s clarification, revoked the earlier order and permitted the celebrations on July 20.

The reversal of the order by Ubhe, who owes allegiance to the Pune Vikas Aghadi floated by Suresh Kalmadi, MP, further complicated the issue. As if to pacify the rivals, Mayor Vatsala Andekar of the PVA, who was to be the chief guest, kept away from the function.

The irked Congressmen, including former mayors Ankush Kakade and Vandana Chavan, went ahead with the demonstrations outside the venue of the function as a mark of their protest against the “prejudiced minds.”

Deputy mayor Bhagwan Kshirsagar,of the BJP, in his speech as the chief guest tried to impress upon the gathering that the Vidyaniketan owed its educational standards to the contribution of Mathkari.