Tukaram Mundhe says his son skips birthday parties where alcohol is served

Tukaram Mundhe, Commissioner of the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has said he talks to his children about many issues and that neither side hides anything from the other. In an interview, he said alcohol is served at the birthday parties of his children's friends, and his son never goes to such places. According to Mundhe, his son's thinking on the matter is entirely clear.

Mundhe said both his son and daughter have friends. These birthday parties are often large, and one has to decide for oneself whether to attend. According to him, children drink at some of them. His son says plainly that he will not go to the birthday of those who drink.

His son's own birthday is held at home or on a small scale somewhere, with eight to ten friends, and everything stays within a limited circle. Mundhe said such thinking in children does not come from advice alone. He does not drink, nor does anyone else in his home, so no money is spent on it. When no one at home drinks, the question of serving drinks to anyone does not arise. He said this is the culture in his house.

On his children's education, Mundhe said he is ready to spend whatever it takes. He does not know whether his children will earn more or less later on, but he is confident that whatever they earn, they will earn through their own hard work and by the right means. Mundhe said this makes him happy.

In the same interview, Mundhe also spoke about his sudden transfer while he was Collector of Solapur. He said he took several important decisions as Collector there, one of them concerning the Siddheshwar yatra. He made some changes to the yatra arrangements, put an emergency system in place and said the Siddheshwar yatra would be held in the open ground.

According to Mundhe, this caused a great uproar and the matter reached the Chief Minister. He said this was the biggest reason for his transfer. Even so, the emergency arrangement he created is still being used for the Siddheshwar yatra today.

Mundhe said the Siddheshwar yatra is held in January, on Sankranti. He said the data for the Januarys before and after his decision could be pulled out and examined. In January, he said, Solapur's hospitals used to fill up with bronchitis patients. The data would show a clear difference between January then and now. Mundhe said his decision saved many lives.