A banner featuring Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini, was recently taken down in Pune's Loni Kalbhor village after objections were raised by the Bajrang Dal. The banner had been put up by members of the Irani community in the area during the month of Muharram.
On Monday, July 1, 2025, a group of approximately 12 Bajrang Dal activists and local journalists voiced their concerns, questioning whether the banner was an act of glorifying the Supreme Leader of Iran. The police clarified that the banner did not contain any objectionable content.
Rajesh Khande, the in-charge Police Sub-Inspector of Loni Kalbhor Police Station, along with other police personnel, visited the site where the banner was displayed following the complaints. Upon investigating, police discovered that the local gram panchayat had not granted prior permission for the banner's installation. Citing this lack of permission, the police ordered the removal of the banner. According to a police official, the community members cooperated and removed the banner themselves. The official also stated that the issue was not with the content of the poster but with the absence of permission from the gram panchayat.
Dr. Rajkumar Shinde, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5), stated that a notice had been issued to the concerned parties by the panchayat, and police have instructed that no such flags or banners should be displayed without proper authorization. Following the banner's removal, no further complaints were lodged, and the situation in the area remained peaceful.
According to police, the banners and flags were allegedly put up by a group of Iranian nationals residing in Kadam Wak Wasti. Tensions rose after some local residents and activists associated with the right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal noticed the display and alerted authorities, demanding immediate removal of the flex banners and flags. Local police teams promptly reached the spot and began the process of taking down the displayed materials. An officer from Loni Kalbhor police station stated, “During the investigation, it was found that no permission from the local body was taken before installing Iranian leader flex in the locality. Hence with the help of gram panchayat officers, we have removed it,”.
The incident occurred around 1 pm on June 30. The banner featured a photo of the community's religious leader, Shistani, along with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The police investigation confirmed that the banner did not contain any objectionable content.
The controversy surrounding Khamenei's poster arose amidst ongoing tensions in the Middle East concerning Iran's nuclear ambitions. Recent events included exchanges of strikes between Iran and Israel, followed by a ceasefire announcement by US President Donald Trump on June 24.
