07 October,2026 06:04 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar addresses the protesting MPSC aspirants in Pune on Wednesday. PIC/X
The agitation by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants in Pune entered its seventh day on Wednesday, with NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar urging the government not to suppress the protest and instead ensure justice for the students, news agency PTI reported.
Pawar also asserted that the protesting students would not shift from the present location and remained firm on their demand for the resignation of MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar.
Speaking at the protest site, Pawar alleged that ruling parties had initially attempted to create a split among the protesting students. When those efforts failed, he alleged, party workers were made to approach the court.
The protests seeking Bhimanwar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the recruitment body and controversies related to examinations have been drawing support from various quarters.
The development came as the Bombay High Court heard a petition filed by some Pune residents against the ongoing agitation. The court on Wednesday said the protesting students were not anti-social elements and stressed that the state government was duty-bound to ensure that public recruitment examinations were conducted impartially.
Pawar said the High Court's hearing and observations showed that it also wanted the students to be heard.
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader alleged that pressure had been exerted on the police administration and that a large contingent of police personnel was suddenly deployed at the protest site during the night.
"A large police force was also deployed on Wednesday at the agitation venue while the hearing on the petition was underway in Bombay High Court," he said.
"Despite all this, students turned up in large numbers today and raised the voice of student unity," Pawar added.
He appealed to the police administration and the state Home Minister not to suppress the agitation and instead ensure justice for the students.
"Rather than getting into the business of crushing the agitation, take the resignation of your friend and give justice to the students," he said, apparently referring to Bhimanwar.
The Karjat-Jamkhed legislator also urged the students to ask their parents, friends and relatives to join the satyagraha in large numbers.
"Victory will be ours soon," he said.
Pawar stated that the agitation would not be shifted to any other location, asserting that the present site was a designated place for holding protests.
"We were given permission to hold a protest here. We will not move anywhere. We will once again seek permission for this place. For us this is the designated place," he said.
His remarks came against the backdrop of a petition filed before the Bombay High Court by Pune residents, who cited traffic disruption and inconvenience to citizens due to the ongoing protests and sought that the agitation be shifted to a designated protest site.
Responding to Pune Mayor Manjusha Nagpure's statement that Pawar should not bring Pune to a standstill, he said the mayor should first focus on improving the traffic situation, the condition of potholes and other issues.
(With PTI inputs)
