Suraj Lokhande, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader who got Rohit Arya admitted to the hospital after the latter lost consciousness during an indefinite hunger strike in 2024, has come forward with a detailed account of the incident and a strong appeal to the government.
Lokhande recalled the day vividly, “While passing through Navi Peth near the Pune Patrakar Sangh office, I noticed a man lying on the road, trembling. Many people were standing around, but no one stepped forward to help. Believing that public service is the truest duty, I tried to revive him, but despite repeated attempts, he didn’t regain consciousness. Finally, I called the 108 ambulance service and informed the local police. Cops and doctors arrived immediately and contacted his family. Only then did we realise that the man had been on an indefinite hunger strike for nearly a month, protesting against the government.”
Sena (UBT) leader Suraj Lokhande and Arya at the Navi Peth near the Pune Patrakar Sangh office in 2024
Lokhande said Arya had designed and directed the Swachhta Monitor Project under the initiative Project Let’s Change, which was later incorporated into the chief minister’s flagship programme Majhi Shala Sundar Shala. However, Arya alleged that neither his name nor his team was credited for the concept, and that the promised R2 crore project payment was never released.
Lokhande added, “He told me the then-Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar and the chief minister had assured him payment and recognition, but nothing happened. Eventually, he went on a hunger strike and collapsed. He was mentally and financially broken. His wife, Anjali, told me, ‘Let him die, the government has already decided to take his life.’ Their family was under immense stress.”
After Arya was discharged from the hospital, the family called Lokhande at his home at Kothrud. The politician said, “His wife and 20-year-old son told me they had invested all their savings into the school cleanliness project. They are a well-educated, hardworking family. Anjali told me that Rohit spent sleepless nights to ensure the project’s success. Even three months after the discharge, he spoke about his unpaid dues — it was always on his mind.”
Arya’s wife Anjali at the hospital where he was admitted after losing consciousness. Pics/By Special Arrangement
The Swachhta Monitor initiative, originally launched under Swachh Bharat Mission, aimed to promote hygiene responsibility among students from Std V to VIII, encouraging them to act as cleanliness monitors in their schools. Arya’s concept had reportedly impressed top officials, including the then-Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leading to partial state funding in 2023 before the dispute arose.
In a statement before his protest, Arya had warned that if anything happened to him, Shinde and Kesarkar should be held responsible for ignoring his plight. Lokhande demanded that the government immediately investigate the matter. “People’s hard-earned money and work should be respected. Instead of offering charity, give them what they rightfully deserve. The education minister must take cognisance of this issue and ensure justice,” Lokhande said.
Suraj Lokhande, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader
Arya, who was the Project Director of Project Let’s Change (PLC), had earlier gained attention in Pune for his innovative approach to school cleanliness drives. His prolonged protest and subsequent mental distress are now being linked to the tragic chain of events in that ended in the loss of his life in Mumbai.
