Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has retracted a notification for an elocution competition titled "Voice of Devendra" following strong objections from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party. The controversy erupted after the university’s National Service Scheme (NSS) wing posted a notice on August 5, 2025, inviting students to participate in the event, which was inspired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. NSUI accused the university of promoting a "hidden" BJP agenda, prompting swift backlash and a protest on campus.

The university clarified that the competition was not organized by its NSS wing but by external organizations, namely Swarambh Foundation, IFELLOW Foundation, and Nashik Pratishthan, who proposed the event on the theme of ‘Developed Maharashtra.’ Dr. Sadanand Bhosale, NSS coordinator, explained that the university merely shared the notification to inform interested students. However, following the uproar and accusations of political bias, SPPU withdrew the notice from its website to avoid further misunderstanding.

The decision sparked further criticism, with NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar highlighting the university’s "double standards" in a post on X. He noted that the retraction contradicted SPPU’s initial claim of non-involvement and vowed to expose other politically driven agendas by month’s end. NSUI member Akshay Kamble, who led the protest, claimed the withdrawal as a victory against attempts to politicize the university. The incident has raised questions about the influence of political agendas in academic institutions.

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