'Authoritarian Attitude': NCP's Sunil Tingre Targets BJP As Fund Row Deepens In Pune Civic Body

Sunil Tingre, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Pune City (East) President, on Friday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as political friction intensified between the two parties over development funds in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

According to reports, the BJP diverted funds allocated for local area development in Baner after NCP corporator Amol Balwadkar sought an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the spending of a legislator’s local area development fund in the Kothrud Assembly constituency, represented by Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil. Similarly, the ruling party also diverted funds earmarked for NCP corporator Suhas Tingre's ward after he seconded Balwadkar’s demand for an inquiry into works linked to Patil.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media, Sunil Tingre said the development funds were not "charity" and that withholding them was a "direct assault on the rights of the people of Pune."

He said, "As a public representative, it is my constitutional right, and that of every public representative, to raise questions regarding the quality of development works in the Kothrud Assembly constituency and demand an inquiry. However, the ruling BJP's decision to withhold development funds for the wards of corporators Amol Balwadkar and Suhas Tingre, out of spite for their questioning, is extremely unfortunate and a clear instance of the abuse of power."

"These development funds are not a matter of charity; they come from the taxes paid by the people of Pune and are their rightful due. Withholding funds meant for development, thereby taking out political grievances on the citizens, is a direct assault on the rights of the people of Pune," he added.

Tingre further said, "In a democracy, asking questions is not a crime. On the contrary, it is the responsibility of public representatives to ask questions, raise their voices against irregularities, and demand accountability in the public interest. Withholding funds simply because questions were raised amounts to an attempt to stifle democratic and constitutional values."

He said that the BJP should use its power "for the development of the people, not to silence the opposition." "The ruling BJP has no right to withhold development funds that rightfully belong to the people of Pune. I, along with the NCP, will continue to fight firmly for the rights and development of the citizens of Pune," he concluded.