"A young man has committed an inappropriate act at the Annapurna Devi temple in Paud village. This incident is extremely disgusting and infuriating. No sensitive person can possibly tolerate such behaviour," Supriya Sule wrote in the post on X
The accused's 16-year-old son has been detained in the incident. Representational pic
Political leaders across party lines have strongly condemned the alleged desecration of an idol at a temple in Maharashtra’s Pune district and have called for swift and stringent action against those responsible for the incident, news agency PTI reported.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Member of Parliament (MP) Supriya Sule, who represents the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, expressed outrage over the incident in a post on X on Sunday.
"A young man has committed an inappropriate act at the Annapurna Devi temple in Paud village. This incident is deeply disturbing and infuriating. No sensitive person can tolerate such behaviour," Sule said, urging the government to act without delay.
पौड गावातील अन्नपूर्णा देवीच्या मंदिरात एका तरुणाने गैरकृत्य केल्याचे समोर आले आहे. ही घटना अतिशय घृणास्पद आणि संतापजनक आहे. कोणतीही संवेदनशील व्यक्ती हे कदापि सहन करणे शक्य नाही. माझी शासनाला विनंती आहे की कृपया या तरुणावर तातडीने कठोरात कठोर कारवाई करावी. सामाजिक सलोखा…
— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) May 4, 2025
Police earlier stated that a 44-year-old man had been arrested while his minor son had been detained after the latter allegedly desecrated the idol in Paud village, located in Mulshi taluka, PTI reported.
“We strongly believe that anyone who disturbs social harmony must face the strictest punishment. No one should be spared,” Sule added.
Shiv Sena MP from Maval, Shrirang Barne, also condemned the incident, calling it a deliberate provocation intended to hurt Hindu sentiments.
"This isn’t just an act by a mentally unstable individual. It’s a calculated attempt to incite. A bandh has been called in Mulshi Taluka, which has received widespread support from the Hindu community. We demand the harshest punishment for the culprits," Barne said on Sunday.
The political discourse took a sharper turn on Monday when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Chitra Wagh, criticised Sule for not naming the accused in her statement. In a strongly worded post on X, Wagh accused Sule of engaging in appeasement politics and questioned her relative silence.
"What’s the matter, elder sister of Baramati? You often express deep concern over international issues like the Russia-Ukraine war. But when such a disgusting and shocking incident takes place in your own constituency, you offer only a brief post and remain silent," Wagh wrote.
She also claimed that the desecration was not only an attack on religious beliefs but a veiled threat to Hindu women, adding that the community "may never forgive" Sule for “her inadequate response”.
(With PTI inputs)
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