Pune: BJP Faces Internal Rift Over Protest Outside Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Vandalism of Doctor’s Clinic

Pune, 8th April 2025: Tensions have emerged within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Pune following an incident involving the party’s women’s wing members who allegedly vandalised a doctor’s clinic during a protest over the death of a woman at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital.

The incident, which has sparked sharp internal criticism, took place after 37-year-old Tanisha alias Ishwari Bhise died on April 4, with her family alleging that the hospital refused treatment due to a demand for an advance payment of ₹10 lakh. Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas, a physician at the hospital, was named in the allegations. Following the incident, members of the BJP Mahila Aghadi (women’s wing) stormed the private clinic of Dr. Ghaisas’s father and caused damage to the property.

Rajya Sabha MP and senior BJP leader Medha Kulkarni publicly criticised the actions of her own party’s members. In a letter addressed to BJP Pune city president Dheeraj Ghate, she wrote, “There are legitimate ways to protest, but acts of vandalism do not reflect the values our party upholds. Any individual taking the law into their hands damages the image of the organisation and its decades of work. Offering an apology and compensation to the doctor’s family would be a responsible step toward damage control.”

She further added, “Such behaviour undermines the public trust we’ve built. I urge the party to introspect. I leave it to the conscience of those involved.”

The protest had drawn attention from across the political spectrum, with several parties staging demonstrations outside the hospital to demand justice for Bhise’s family. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who visited Pune the day after the incident, also condemned the vandalism, stating, “While demanding accountability is justified, taking the law into one’s hands is not.”

In response to Kulkarni’s letter, city BJP chief Dheeraj Ghate stood by the women’s wing members. “Our duty as a political organisation is to raise our voice on issues that concern the public. If we had remained silent, the people would have questioned our intent,” Ghate said.

Regarding the internal criticism, Ghate remarked, “I believe the letter from Kulkarni tai (sister) was unnecessary. This matter could have been brought up directly in our party meeting. There is always room for discussion, but not at the cost of public perception.”