Pune: The historic Sarasbaug garden in Pune will remain closed on Thursday and Friday due to security reasons, following prohibitory orders issued by the Pune police commissioner. The decision comes amid increased footfall during the holiday season and political tensions over event permissions.
Closure Details
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) issued a press release on Wednesday stating, “The garden is located in the central parts of the city. The garden is witnessing an increased footfall due to the holidays. The police commissioner has issued prohibitory orders, and the garden is closed for security reasons.”
Amitesh Kumar, the Pune police commissioner, clarified on Tuesday that the prohibitory orders, initially issued on May 23 and effective until June 8, are a routine measure to maintain law and order before any festival or event. These orders restrict large gatherings by political parties, social groups, and others.
Political Reactions
Medha Kulkarni, a Rajya Sabha member, welcomed the closure. She told TOI, “We tried to get permission from PMC for a programme to mark the birth anniversary of Swatantraveer Savarkar on Thursday. The civic administration has not granted it, stating that there was no policy regarding it. So we demanded from PMC that the same rule should be applied to everybody. No other groups or communities should be allowed to conduct any programme in the garden premises. Against this backdrop, the decision to close the garden is welcomed.” Last year, Kulkarni had raised an objection to a group of citizens consuming non-vegetarian food as part of their festive celebration at the garden.
Mayor Manjusha Nagpure initially stated in a social media post that the garden would remain closed due to maintenance. She later deleted that post and clarified in a new post that the closure is for security reasons. “I shared the post based on the information received from the civic administration. After new information emerged about the actual reasons, I updated the post,” she said while speaking to reporters.
Background and Context
The prohibitory orders were issued to prevent any untoward incidents during the holiday period. The garden, located in the heart of Pune, has been a focal point for political and social activities. The closure has sparked debate over equal application of rules to all groups.
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About the Author
Prasad Kulkarni is a correspondent at The Times of India, Pune. He is a post-graduate in Mass Communication and Journalism with a bachelor’s degree in Defence Studies and Strategic Science, and covers Defence, the Pune Cantonment Board and weather forecasts and related researches. His hobbies include biking and car rallies, trading in shares and currency markets.
