Maha cops deny nod for Kanhaiya's Pansare event

After Maharashtra cops reportedly denied permission for organising an open event on the death anniversary of veteran CPI leader Govind Pansare, JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar visit to Kolhapur has been cancelled.

Pune: CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar visit to Kolhapur has been cancelled after Maharashtra cops denied permission for organising an open event on the death anniversary of veteran CPI leader Govind Pansare.

Citing the COVID-19 outbreak, police in Kolhapur have denied permission for an event in an open area on Saturday to mark the death anniversary of veteran CPI leader Govind Pansare, organisers said.

The organisers of the event slammed the police administration for its 'oppressive policy'.

While police denied them permission to hold the event at an open space in Dasra Chowk due to coronavirus outbreak, they have got the nod to organise it in a closed space, Girish Fonde, one of the organisers said on Friday.

Fonde, however, expressed hopes that the event would be organised in a day or two.

The event, titled Comrade Govind Pansare Smriti Jagar is being organised by All India Youth Federation and All India Students Federation, Fonde said.

"We received permission from the collector's office to hold the programme but it is surprising police have denied permission citing COVID-19 as well as law and order," he claimed.

Fonde said among those slated to address the event was former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and state minister Hasan Mushrif.

However, a Kolhapur police official said permission has not been withheld.

"We have just asked the organisers to hold the event in a closed space," the official added.

Pansare was shot at on February 16, 2015 in Kolhapur and succumbed to his injuries on February 20.

With PTI inputs