HighLights
  1. Tukaram Mundhe named MPSC overhaul committee secretary.
  2. Appointment follows widespread student protests for reforms.
  3. Maharashtra government takes step to address MPSC issues.

The Maharashtra government on Sunday named the Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe as the secretary of the committee to overhaul the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) amid the student protests.

Tukaram's Crackdown On FDA Norm Violators 

Senior Maharashtra bureaucrat Tukaram Mundhe, who was appointed Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May this year, has been in the news for his fearless drive against violators, including some big food brands and restaurants. Now, he got a challenging job to resolve issues related to the MPSC. The MPSC aspirants launched large-scale protests in Pune over examination management, recruitment delays, and administrative integrity.

Massive Protest By MPSC Aspirants

Mundhe's appointment in the committee came two days after the MPSC students held a massive protet in Pune, drawing police action. The Pune police registered a case against 15 representatives of an ongoing agitation by aspirants of the MPSC for allegedly organising the protest without permission, for obstructing traffic and violating prohibitory orders in the city.

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The case was registered at the Vishrambaug police station against the representatives, including Pramod Patil, Akshay Kamble and Aniket Deshmane who have been associated with the students' agitation, demanding action over alleged irregularities and removal of MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar.According to the complaint lodged by a police personnel, the police had initially granted permission for a protest on October 2 near the S M Joshi Bridge, subject to certain conditions.

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The permission had been granted on September 26 after representatives of the students' agitation approached the Pune Police Commissionerate on September 25 and sought approval to hold a protest at one of the three proposed locations -- Alka Talkies Chowk, Ahilya Study Centre and the S M Joshi Bridge.

However, following a meeting between a delegation of student representatives and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on September 30, the students reportedly decided to suspend the October 2 agitation, stating that their demands had been accepted.

The police claimed that the protesters raised slogans against the MPSC and the Maharashtra government, obstructed vehicular movement and made provocative statements to mobilise the gathering.

(With PTI inputs)


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