Pune Festival organisers flay mayor for boycott of inaugural function

Organisers of the Pune Festival have reacted sharply to mayor Mohansingh Rajpal’s boycott of its inaugural function and described his comments in the matter as politically motivated.

The chief organiser of Pune Festival, Krishnakant Kudale, said Pune Festival has enhanced the reputation of the city and contributed to the city’s cultural enrichment. “The mayor is misguiding citizens by giving politically motivated and wrong reasons for his absence during the inaugural function,” he said.

Rajpal skipped the inauguration of Pune Festival on Saturday on the grounds that the state government has not yet given permission to the cultural festival to be celebrated by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) during the Ganpati Festival.

Rajpal had said his attendance of events of the Pune Festival depended on whether the state government takes a positive stand on the Shaniwarwada Festival.

Kudale recalled Rajpal’s statement that some NGOs have objected to splurging of public money for festivals. However, the objection is irrelevant as the Pune Festival is celebrated with private donations, Kudale said. “No funds are received from the state government or the PMC for the festival and the mayor is aware of the fact,” Kudale added.

He said the mayor’s stand, that he would attend events of Pune Festival only if the state government permits the Shaniwarwada Festival, is not proper. “Pune Festival is in no way related to the cultural festival of the PMC,” he said.