Opposition Demands Action After BJP MP’s ‘Purification’ at Pune’s Shaniwarwada

Overview

• A video showing Muslim women offering namaz inside the ASI-protected Shaniwarwada went viral after being shared by BJP MP Medha Kulkarni.
• Kulkarni led a protest at the fort and performed a symbolic purification using cow urine with Shiv Vandana, saying the monument is not a mosque.
• Congress, NCP and AAP leaders condemned the move, with NCP’s Rupali Thombare demanding a police case and several voices seeking Kulkarni’s resignation.
• Pune police said the site falls under ASI jurisdiction and stated they will consult the agency before deciding on further steps, with additional security deployed at the fort.
• Critics cited Shaniwarwada’s layered history, including Peshwa-era dargahs and the Mastani association, to argue that Muslim prayer at the site is not unprecedented.