Pune: Sanjay Raut Criticises BJP Over Civic & Environmental Concerns During First-Ever Visit To PMC

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday visited the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) headquarters for the first time. He said he has been coming to Pune for years but had never entered the building before.

Raut praised the civic setup and said democracy is not measured by the number of elected representatives a party has, but by the contribution they make towards the city’s development.

Referring to his discussion with Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol, he said every corporator, whether from a party with one member or 130 members, deserves equal respect and responsibility in shaping the city. He stressed that guardian ministers should rise above party politics and work solely for the city’s progress, adding that this spirit once defined governance in Maharashtra but is now missing.

He also raised serious concerns over environmental degradation, saying indiscriminate tree cutting is not just Pune’s problem but a wider crisis affecting the entire country. Criticising development at the cost of nature, he said the consequences of deforestation are now directly impacting human lives. Citing mining-linked destruction in Chandrapur and the large-scale tree felling in Aarey Forest, he said such actions reflect a dangerous model of development. He recalled how his party leader Aaditya Thackeray had led protests against the cutting of trees in Mumbai and said citizens must become more vigilant if environmental damage is to be stopped.

On the issue of the Marathi language and regional identity, Raut accused the BJP of practising divisive politics and said the ruling party was relying on money power and contractor-driven politics rather than performance. He challenged the BJP to explain how many promises from its last manifesto had actually been fulfilled. He said those in power have failed to take a firm stand on making Marathi indispensable and questioned whether leaders like Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis have spoken strongly enough in defence of Marathi identity. Calling it unfortunate, he said such silence weakens Maharashtra’s cultural and political character.

Continuing his criticism, Raut targeted controversial statements made by figures linked to the ruling establishment, including former Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, alleging they have been emboldened by political patronage. He said the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj cannot be used for political convenience while disrespecting the ideals associated with him.

Responding to the controversy over a goat reportedly being cut outside the residence of Ajit Pawar, Raut dismissed the allegations with sarcasm and said if governments could be changed through such acts, many goats would have been sacrificed to topple regimes.