MP Ravindra Dhangekar at PUNE’s Kasba Peth Congress on Saturday hit back at Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, defending his protests against issues like the Porsche case, drug trafficking and the late-night pub culture in Pune.

His reply came after Fadnavis, during a rally for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Hemant Rasne at the Kasba Peth on Friday, criticized Dhangekar, calling his protest a “drama” and suggesting that his by-poll victory from 2023 it was an accident.

“If fighting the Porsche car case, exposing street drug dealers and protesting late-night pub culture is drama, then so be it. These actions have forced the authorities to act,” Dhangekar said.

“We brought up the case of the Porsche car, where all the agencies, including the police, were under administration. Because of my agitation, the police were forced to file the case and it became a national issue,” he said.

He also emphasized his efforts against drug traffickers. “Drug peddlers were allowed to leave Sassoon Hospital despite being in police custody. I exposed the entire racket and agitated against it,” he claimed.

On the pub culture protests, Dhangekar said as a party we have opposed the late pub culture in Pune. If Fadnavis calls all this drama, he can label it as such. But these protests brought action.

The Congress MP accused Fadnavis of disturbing harmony in Pune. “Pune was a peaceful city where citizens coexisted for decades. Fadnavis is trying to disrupt this unity,” he said.