BJP Leaders Clash Over Seating At Govt. Function

Mumbai: A public disagreement between BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni and BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar over seating arrangements at a Maharashtra government function on Friday embarrassed the party. Ms Kulkarni, a Brahmin, alleged that she was asked not to sit in the front row because the programme was meant for the Maratha community and that her presence could create a controversy. She later left the event, citing discomfort.

The incident took place during a felicitation ceremony organised by the state-run SARTHI (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute) in Pune. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the programme, which honoured successful candidates and their parents for achievements in UPSC, MPSC and other competitive examinations.

Explaining her decision to leave, Ms Kulkarni said she had attended the event to congratulate meritorious students. She said a few front-row seats were vacant as Minister of State Madhuri Misal and some other ministers had not yet arrived. “Officials told me that if the seats remained vacant, I could sit there as per protocol,” she said.

As chairperson of a committee, she was requested to occupy one of the seats. However, she suggested that MLA Narendra Patil, who heads a state corporation, could also sit there.

Ms Kulkarni alleged that BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar also wanted to sit in the front row, leading to some confusion. When she was about to take the seat, officials informed her that her name came next in the order of protocol. She claimed that Mr Pawar then told her, “This is a programme of the Maratha community. If you sit here, it will create a controversy.”

Speaking to reporters later, Ms Kulkarni said the event was organised to honour meritorious students from the Maratha community, but it was still a government programme where seating should be decided according to official protocol. “Seats are not arranged on the basis of caste,” she said.

The BJP MP said she had always encouraged people to identify themselves as Hindus rather than by caste. “Where does the issue of caste come into this?” she asked.

Recalling the Assembly election campaign, Ms Kulkarni claimed that Mr Pawar had invited her to address a meeting of the Brahmin community in support of his candidature despite her ill health.

“I appealed to the Brahmin community to support Abhimanyu Pawar. They voted for him. There was no issue of caste then. We should stand by ideology. There are many challenges before the country. What is the point of raising caste issues among ourselves?” the BJP MP said.

Ms Kulkarni also alleged that before the programme began, while the Chief Minister was meeting visitors in the VIP lounge, Mr Pawar objected to members of the Maratha community who had accompanied her from entering the lounge. “I had gone to meet the Chief Minister regarding a local issue. He was aware of the matter and spoke courteously to them, assuring them of justice. Will you (Mr. Pawar) decide whom Mr Fadnavis should speak to?” she asked.

Responding to the allegations, Mr Pawar denied that caste had anything to do with the seating arrangement. “I only told her that Narendra Patil, chairman of the Anna Bhau Sathe Aarthik Vikas Mahamandal, would sit in the front row, while legislators and MPs would sit in the rows behind. There is no issue of caste,” he said.

Expressing regret if his remarks had hurt Ms Kulkarni, Mr. Pawar said, “The programme does not belong to my family. She is a Member of Parliament and senior to me, like an elder sister. If I have hurt her, I express regret.”

Ms Kulkarni later said she would not pursue the matter further. “I have forgiven Abhimanyu ji and will not make any complaint against him. I only expect him to introspect,” she said.