Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena president Amit Raj Thackeray and 20-25 unidentified MNS workers have been booked after a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was removed from the principal’s office at Government Polytechnic in Pune on August 31.
The incident occurred during Thackeray’s student outreach visit, when students were discussing concerns over canteen food, hostel facilities, sanitation, classrooms and sports infrastructure. Thackeray objected to Modi’s photograph being displayed alongside portraits of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr B R Ambedkar, saying the arrangement was “not acceptable”.
MNS defended the move as an expression of respect for the two icons, while the BJP accused Thackeray of political immaturity and said photographs of the President and Prime Minister are displayed in government establishments as part of official protocol.
Police allege that Thackeray and his associates entered the office without permission, removed the photograph, threatened staff, raised slogans and created a disturbance. The FIR was registered at Chaturshringi police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Maharashtra Police Act. The photograph was later restored by the college.
Thackeray has defended his action, saying he is prepared to face the case and that he is “proud” of standing up for Shivaji Maharaj and Dr Ambedkar. Police have also arrested two MNS workers in connection with the incident, according to a September 1 report.
A Photo Sparks Political Row
The controversy unfolded at Government Polytechnic, Ganeshkhind, during Thackeray’s visit to interact with students and assess their concerns. According to reports, a student drew his attention to a wall in the office where photographs of Modi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr B R Ambedkar and President Droupadi Murmu were displayed.
Thackeray questioned why the Prime Minister’s photograph had been placed alongside Shivaji Maharaj and Ambedkar and directed his supporters to remove it. Videos of the incident were subsequently circulated online and covered by Marathi news outlets, showing MNS workers taking down the photograph amid slogans.
Thackeray later made clear that his objection, according to him, was not to Modi’s photograph being displayed in a government institution, but to its placement alongside Shivaji Maharaj and Dr Ambedkar. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar cannot be compared with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said, adding that such a placement was unacceptable.
Pune MNS city president Dhananjay Dalvi backed him, saying Shivaji Maharaj was revered by the organisation and Ambedkar was an icon, and that the party would not accept an attempt to place Modi “on the same footing” as them.
The BJP, however, viewed the incident differently. Pune Municipal Corporation Leader of the House Ganesh Bidkar called the action “politically immature” and argued that photographs of the President and Prime Minister are displayed in government establishments according to official protocol. “The PM represents the nation, not a political party,” Bidkar said, criticising those who removed the photograph.
BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban also demanded action against Thackeray, accusing him of insulting the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said the BJP was misrepresenting Thackeray’s position, arguing that his objection was to the photograph being placed beside Shivaji Maharaj rather than to its presence in the institution.
FIR, Allegations And Latest Action
The dispute took a legal turn after Dr Rajendra Kashiram Patil, associated with Government Polytechnic, lodged a complaint at Chaturshringi police station. According to the complaint, Thackeray arrived at the premises with around 20-25 associates between approximately 12:30 pm and 1:15 pm.
They allegedly entered an office without permission, removed the Prime Minister’s photograph, threatened staff, remained inside despite being asked to leave, raised slogans and created a disturbance.
Police subsequently registered a case against Thackeray and the unidentified MNS workers under provisions of the BNS relating to alleged criminal trespass, unlawful assembly, obstruction and criminal intimidation, along with the Maharashtra Police Act. The exact section numbers have differed across initial media reports, so the FIR itself remains the definitive reference for the charges.
The college later restored Modi’s photograph to the same location, with NDTV Marathi reporting that the administration put it back before BJP workers could do so themselves. Police also visited the college premises following the incident.
As of September 1, two MNS workers, identified by ABP Majha as Prashant Kanojia and Vikrant Bhilare, had been arrested in connection with the photograph’s removal. Thackeray, meanwhile, has shown no sign of backing down.
Speaking after the FIR, he said that his earlier case had also concerned an incident connected to Shivaji Maharaj and that if another case was registered for the same reason, he would be “happy” about it. In another statement, he said he was proud of having the portrait removed and linked the action to his respect for Shivaji Maharaj and Dr Ambedkar.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The dispute over a photograph at a government college has now become a larger contest over political identity, historical reverence and the meaning attached to public institutions. While respecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr B R Ambedkar is deeply important to millions, and Thackeray has the right to voice his disagreement with how their portraits are displayed, physically removing a photograph and an alleged confrontation with public employees should not become the preferred way of settling disagreements.
Equally, political criticism should not be turned into an excuse for personal attacks or polarisation. Government institutions belong to citizens, not political parties, and educational spaces should ideally remain places where disagreement can be expressed through dialogue, reason and mutual respect.
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