Baner Cancer Hospital Row: Bhimale’s Father’s Name Removed Before CM Fadnavis’ Visit to Pune

Baner, 17th May 2026: A controversy erupted over the naming of the newly built cancer hospital in Baner after Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale installed a signboard naming the facility after his late father, Prof. Yashwantrao Bhimale. Following widespread criticism from political circles and social activists, the signboard was removed before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived for the inauguration programme on Sunday (17th May).

The 150-bed state-of-the-art cancer and cardiac hospital has been developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model jointly by the Pune Municipal Corporation and Apulki Healthcare. No official decision had reportedly been taken to name the hospital after any individual. Even the official invitation cards printed by the civic body for the inauguration ceremony did not mention Bhimale’s father.

Despite this, on Saturday evening, a signboard reading “Late Prof. Yashwantrao Bhimale Cancer Hospital” was allegedly installed on the hospital building, reportedly at the insistence of Shrinath Bhimale.

The move is said to have triggered unease within the BJP as several party corporators were reportedly unaware of the decision. Sources indicated that there was no consensus within the party regarding naming the hospital after Bhimale’s father, leading to internal resentment.

This is not the first such controversy involving Bhimale. Earlier, a garden in Salisbury Park was named after his parents, a move that had also faced opposition from local residents and complaints to party leaders. However, no action was taken at the time.

As news of the Baner hospital naming spread, social activists including Vinita Deshmukh and Vijay Kumbhar criticised the move, calling it inappropriate to name a public healthcare facility funded through taxpayers’ money after a politician’s family member.

Activists had demanded that the signboard be removed before Chief Minister Fadnavis attended the inauguration ceremony. Sensing the growing controversy, senior party leaders reportedly instructed Bhimale to remove the board.

Before the Chief Minister arrived at the venue, the original board was removed and replaced with a new signboard that simply described the hospital as a cancer hospital developed jointly by PMC and Apulki Healthcare under the PPP model.

While the Salisbury Park garden named after Bhimale’s parents continues to retain its name, the removal of the Baner hospital signboard following public backlash has become a major talking point in Pune’s political circles.