A viral video praising Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has sparked attention online, with an Instagram user highlighting what he described as visible changes in the hygiene of street-food stalls. Instagram creator Rohit Patil shared a video in which he praised Mundhe's food-safety drive and said vendors appeared to be keeping their stalls cleaner.
The video comes amid an intensified food-safety crackdown by the Maharashtra FDA under Mundhe. The department has carried out inspections and enforcement action against restaurants, eateries and other food businesses across the state, with hygiene and food safety at the centre of the campaign.
‘Salute to Tukaram Mundhe sir,’ says Instagram user
In the viral clip, Rohit Patil can be heard praising Tukaram Mundhe while looking at chicken being sold at a street-food stall. "Salute to Tukaram Mundhe sir," Patil says at the beginning of the video. He then points out that the chicken at the stalls appeared different and specifically highlighted the cleanliness of the food stall.
Patil also recalled eating kebabs at another food stall in the past, saying that the colour from the food would remain on his hands. In the latest clip, he says he did not notice the same red colour on his hands. He concluded by praising Mundhe and saying that Maharashtra needs more officers like him.
Video focuses on cleanliness at food stalls
The viral clip is essentially a consumer's reaction to the ongoing food-safety enforcement drive rather than an independent assessment of the quality or safety of the chicken shown in the video.
Patil's comments have nevertheless resonated online because food hygiene has become a major talking point in Maharashtra in recent months.
The FDA's enforcement campaign has targeted a wide range of food businesses, with inspections finding issues including unhygienic kitchens, poor food handling and other violations.
The department has also published updates on enforcement actions and food-safety initiatives under Mundhe, including action against restaurants, hotels and other establishments.
Why Tukaram Mundhe's food-safety drive is getting attention
Mundhe took charge as Maharashtra FDA commissioner in May and subsequently launched a statewide enforcement drive focused on food safety and adulteration.
The campaign has included inspections of restaurants and food establishments, as well as action against businesses found violating safety norms. The commissioner has described the broader objective as ensuring "safe food, safe drugs, safe Maharashtra".
The crackdown has also extended beyond small street-food businesses. In recent weeks, the FDA suspended licences of several outlets of major food chains after inspections found hygiene-related violations.
From street food to quick-commerce warehouses
The enforcement drive has expanded across different parts of the food supply chain.
Recent inspections included quick-commerce warehouses, with the FDA reporting hygiene concerns at several facilities. Reuters reported that the department inspected 86 establishments and issued 60 improvement notices, while licences of 12 warehouses were suspended over violations including pest-related concerns.
The campaign has therefore become much broader than restaurant inspections, with authorities examining food handling and safety standards across different businesses.
Internet reacts to Mundhe's crackdown
Mundhe's actions have attracted considerable attention on social media, with some users praising the stricter approach towards food safety.
Rohit Patil's viral video has brought about yet another perspective into that discussion because the maker of the video talks about the apparent improvement in the street-food stalls, according to his opinion.
Nevertheless, it is essential to understand that the video was just the opinion of one person and cannot be taken as some sort of scientific proof that some food stall's food is either safe or unsafe. Food safety involves many elements like sourcing, storing, preparing, cooking, and hygiene of food products.
Nonetheless, it shows exactly why the Maharashtra FDA crackdown is such a topic of discussion, since consumers can notice the change in their daily lives through the cleanliness of the food stalls.
And Patil's message to Mundhe was simple: "Salute hai aapko, Tukaram Mundhe sir."
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