Mumbai: The ‘Voice of Devendra’ elocution competition announced by the Savitribai Phule Pune University has kicked up a political row in Maharashtra with the allegations of political propaganda and personal glorification. Following objections by the student groups union and opposition parties, the university had to withdraw the competition notice.
The university’s National Service Scheme (NSS) wing had uploaded a notification, dated August 5, on its website and appealed to students to take part in the elocution competition organised under the title ‘Voice of Devendra,’ taking inspiration from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
However, the move drew sharp criticism from student groups and political parties. Members of the NSUI staged a protest in the university, demanding that the notification be revoked. They also accused the university of using the academic platform for political propaganda. Protesters gathered outside the NSS office, raising slogans like “Save Education, Save University, Save Democracy” and demanding the withdrawal of the announcement.
The government-run university’s NSS coordinator, Dr Sadanand Bhosale, said that the competition was not university’s event. “The event was proposed by social groups, who had written to the university that they are holding an elocution competition, under the title name ‘Voice of Devendra,’ on the topic ‘Developed Maharashtra.’ The NSS wing received the letter and we put the notification on the website, stating those who wished to participate could register themselves,” he said.
However, following the uproar, the administration withdrew the circular and removed it from its website. “We explained to them that we are not holding the competition and now we have withdrawn the notification from the website,” Bhosale said.
Hitting out at the university, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar, in a post on X, said, “First, the SPPU stated that they did not organise the competition, but now they withdrew the notification issued by National Service Scheme (NSS), which shows the varsity’s double standards.”
“The issue of implementing political agendas is not just restricted to one competition. We will expose all such politically driven agendas by the end of this month,” he wrote.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare questioned whether the autonomy of universities had been “mortgaged.”
