{
  "id": 6576608,
  "title": "Pune: Vidyanand Bapat Gets 48-Hour Legal Notice Over Remarks On Lord Ganesha & Hindu Beliefs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/pune-vidyanand-bapat-gets-48-hour-legal-notice-over-remarks-on-lord",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T10:19:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/pune-vidyanand-bapat-gets-48-hour-legal-notice-over-remarks-on-lord-ganesha-hindu-beliefs"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pune authorities have issued a 48-hour legal notice to social activist Vidyanand Bapat over remarks he made regarding Lord Ganesha, Ganeshotsav, and Hindu religious beliefs. The notice, issued by Bombay High Court advocate Pradeep Naik, demands Bapat provide a written explanation and an unconditional apology to Hindu devotees within the given time frame. Failure to comply could result in criminal and other legal action.\n\nThe controversy stems from Bapat's opposition to high-volume DJ systems during Pune's Ganesh festival, a stance that has gained significant attention on social media. Naik does not oppose the right to express opinions on noise pollution, loudspeakers, processions, or public festivals, but he has objected to Bapat's comments that allegedly insult religious beliefs and revered deities.\n\nBapat has been vocal about his concerns over noise pollution and the impact of loud celebrations on residents. His campaign against DJs during Ganeshotsav has been met with opposition from Ganesh mandals, religious organizations, DJs, and dhol-tasha groups. The legal notice now adds a religious-sentiment angle to the ongoing debate.\n\nThis development follows an alleged assault on Bapat in Pune while he was speaking about the noise issue, which took place on September 3 on Tilak Road. Police arrested a man named Santosh Chavan in connection with the incident and provided security to Bapat. Earlier, Bapat faced opposition during a Pune Municipal Corporation meeting over his stance against DJs during Ganeshotsav, where he was escorted out by civic security personnel.",
  "summary": "Pune: Social activist Vidyanand Bapat has received a legal notice over alleged objectionable and derogatory remarks about Lord Ganesha, Ganeshotsav and Hindu religious beliefs. The notice, issued by Bombay High Court advocate Pradeep Naik, gives Bapat 48 hours to submit a written explanation and tender an unconditional apology to Hindu devotees. The notice warns that criminal and other legal…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}