Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers staged a protest on Thursday against Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner Vikram Kumar over the distribution of sanitary napkins to girls in municipal schools. The party's women's wing activists placed sanitary napkins on the civic chief's official car at the PMC headquarters to express their dissatisfaction.
AAP youth leader Amit Maske stated that after being permitted by security guards, some women workers met with the commissioner. Upon inquiry, they were informed that the distribution of sanitary pads was ongoing. However, when the activists highlighted that the distribution wasn't going on, the commissioner promptly checked with the concerned department and learned that the distribution had ceased. He then verbally directed the department to resume distribution from the following day.
AAP state spokesperson Mukund Kirdat emphasised the need for municipal administration self-examination due to inadequate execution of duties. He stressed that tender processes for providing health services should be conducted transparently without succumbing to external pressures.
Previously, the Congress accused Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and BJP leaders of corruption in sanitary pad procurement, leading to a two-year deprivation of free sanitary napkins for civic school students. City Congress chief Arvind Shinde condemned the alleged corruption, describing it as shameful and detrimental to disadvantaged girl students. He urged the state government to investigate and take action against the perpetrators. Shinde also threatened agitation if no action is taken against those responsible for the corruption.
