Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Wednesday criticised the ruling BJP and its former MP Kirit Somaiya, while the government provided details of measures taken to protect women and girls in the state. These discussions took place during a session in the lower house of the legislature, where the plight of women in Maharashtra was being deliberated.
"While the government claims that women and girls in the state are safe and appropriate measures are being taken, the BJP, being the largest partner in the government, needs to clarify whether it will take action against its member Kirit Somaiya, whose explicit videos have recently gone viral," expressed Danve during his interaction with media personnel at the Vidhan Bhavan premises.
Prior to the commencement of the lower house proceedings, opposition members staged demonstrations against the government, expressing their concerns about the increasing rate of crimes against women. They held banners stating "Down with Anti-Women 'Kalankit' extra-Constitutional government" to protest against the government.
Later in the day, several members, including Jitendra Awhad, Anil Deshmukh, Varsha Gaikwad, and others, initiated a debate on the challenges faced by women in the lower house. The opposition members highlighted that incidents of harassment in the workplace have risen by 139 percent, while cases of rape and sexual assaults have increased by 217 percent. They also pointed out that the state ranks second in the country in terms of crimes against children.
Responding to a calling attention motion, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that when comparing year-on-year crime statistics for women in the state, there has been a rise of approximately 9.57 percent in the first five months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Fadnavis acknowledged that the state ranks second in terms of sexual crimes against children, as per the "Crime in India 2021" report. Regarding the increasing number of "missing" complaints related to women, the home minister stated that in over two-thirds of such cases, the women have returned to their families, and the cases have been dismissed.
Fadnavis added, "The increased registration of such crimes may be attributed to heightened awareness and the public's growing trust in the police, leading to a higher number of reported cases."
