4 days ago
A month after Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik's action against Rapido, company features as sponsor for son's commercial event
In a turn of events that is being questioned by the Opposition, a month after Maharashtra's Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik caught an illegal bike-taxi driver after booking a ride on Rapido app, the company has now emerged as the main sponsor for Pro Govinda League 2025, which is organised by his son.
In July, Sarnaik booked a Rapido Bike using an alias to show that the bike service was being offered in the city, despite being declared illegal due to a lack of proper regulations. After catching the bike driver, he announced action against the company.
मंत्रालय येथूनचं ट्रॅप ऑपरेशन – अनधिकृत रॅपिडो बाईक टॅक्सी सेवांवर थेट कारवाई…#PratapSarnaik #TransportMinister#MaharashtraTransport #ActionAgainstIllegalBikeTaxi@rapidobikeapp
— Pratap Baburao Sarnaik (@PratapSarnaik) July 2, 2025
In a statement, the minister said it was 'wrong to connect Pro-Govinda sports with politics'. 'I had taken action against the company on July 2, whereas the sponsorship was given on May 26. I fearlessly took action against the company that was sponsoring the pro-Govinda event organised by my son, Purvesh Sarnaik. Instead of praising the action, some people are opposing it for the sake of it,' he said
Sarnaik's son Purvesh also denied any link with his father's actions, and claimed that the sponsorship was confirmed a month before the action against Rapido Transportation. 'We had appointed a professional agency to look after the issues of sponsorship and publicity. They brought Rapido on board in the month of May. The episode of the minister taking action against Rapido happened in July,' said Purvesh.
He said Rapido fitted as a sponsor because it would provide employment to the Govindas who will take part in the competition. 'There will be 3,200 Govindas who will participate in it. If even 10 per cent of them got employment, then my aim of organising the event will be fulfilled,' he said.
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar slammed Sarnaik, and called it 'blackmail'.
'The minister caught the Rapido Bike. He got the publicity through the media. And then he rapidly changed the position and brokered a sponsorship. It just proves that this government works for itself and not for the public. I want to ask whether this is not a misuse of the ministerial post,' said Pawar.
Rapido did not respond to queries.
Pro-Govinda League is dedicated to the sport of human pyramid formation, traditionally known as Dahi Handi. Govinda teams form human pyramids to break a pot filled with curd, celebrating Lord Krishna's birthday. It has been marked as an adventure sport in Maharashtra.
West Indies cricket player Chris Gayle is the brand ambassador of the league, which started on August 7, and will continue until August 9 in Worli. The Pro Govinda league is in its third year.
