CM Fadnavis on Pune’s Deenanath Hospital Row: ‘Insensitive Incident, But Entire Institution Can’t Be Blamed’
Pune, 5th April 2025: A pregnant woman, Tanisha Bhise, tragically died which has sparked widespread outrage, with allegations of medical negligence against Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Erandwane. The case has triggered protests by political parties and social organizations across Pune, prompting a sharp response from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has urged demonstrators to avoid “theatrics.”
Following the incident, as many as 15 political parties and social groups staged demonstrations outside the hospital on Friday. The protests escalated when members of the BJP Mahila Aghadi (women’s wing) vandalized parts of a clinic belonging to the parents of a doctor who works at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. Demonstrations continued on Saturday, with some protesters climbing the hospital building in a show of defiance.
Reacting to the situation, Chief Minister Fadnavis, while addressing the media at an event in Pune, called the incident “extremely unfortunate” and said that “strict action must be taken against those found responsible.”
He emphasized the need for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in hospitals to prevent such tragedies in the future.
“The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital was established with immense effort by the Mangeshkar family. It performs numerous complex surgeries and treatments. One incident should not tarnish the reputation of the entire institution,” Fadnavis said, adding that the hospital’s response and any corrective actions are welcome.
He also highlighted recent legislative changes to empower the Charity Commissioner and efforts to integrate all charitable hospitals into a single online platform. This, he said, would help improve transparency in hospital bed availability and enhance coordination with the Chief Minister’s Health Assistance Cell.
While assuring that the state government has taken cognizance of the incident and that appropriate action will follow, Fadnavis condemned the ongoing protests, particularly the act of climbing the hospital building, calling it “mere showmanship.” He also denounced the vandalism by BJP Mahila Aghadi members, stating, “Such actions are wrong, no matter which party is involved.”
Responding to demands for legal action against the hospital administration, the Chief Minister said that any charges would be determined based on the enquiry committee report. “Once the report is available, action will be taken under relevant legal provisions,” he added.
