Mumbai: Prominent women politicians and female activists in Maharashtra seized the opportunity to criticise the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP government on Wednesday, accusing them of neglecting women's safety and security. They expressed their concerns a day after an 18-year-old girl was raped and murdered in a women's hostel. The Congress party went as far as to claim that the BJP seemed more preoccupied with Uorfi Javed's attire than with ensuring women's safety.
In response to the distressing tragedy, numerous women leaders paid a visit to the Savitridevi Phule Women's Hostel located at Charni Road on Marine Drive. They called for urgent actions to be taken in order to guarantee the safety of women in the country's financial hub.
LoP slams state govt
It's a shameful incident for the state government, Leader of opposition in the legislative assembly Ajit Pawar said while reacting to the incident of Rape and murder of a student at Government hostel at Mumbai. “Such incidents are one rise. Why doesn’t the government take tough action against it,” Pawar asked.
“Such things are happening in the state capital and the financial capital of the country. The women should feel safe not just in Mumbai but any village across the state. But, that doesn’t happen so. The police and the state administartion is directly responsible for it,” Pawar said while blaming the government.He also raised questions about the process for appointment of the accused in the hostel and said that investigation needs to provide answers to all the questions related to the incident. He also said that the government needs to be more vigilant regarding safety at all the wormen’s hostels across the state.
Women not safe in Mumbai: Patole
State Congress President Nana Patole blamed the state government and added that the women are not safe in Mumbai. “It is a matter of shame for Maharashtra that a female student is raped and killed in broad daylight in a hostel located a stone’s throw away from Malabar Hill, the residence of the Chief Minister. But the people sitting in power do not feel anything about it, it is a very unfortunate thing. Girls are not safe in cities like Mumbai,” Patole said. The Congress state president also said that thousands of women and girls are going missing from the state and the government is not doing anything about it.
Expressing strong condemnation for the incident, Chitra K. Wagh, the President of the BJP Mahila Morcha in the state, highlighted that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government had made a commitment to install CCTV cameras throughout the entire hostel. However, she pointed out that the installation was only completed on the ground floor. Wagh emphasised that the current government would now prioritise finishing the incomplete work.
BJP more interested in Uorfi's clothes: Mahila Congress chief
Sandhya Savalakhe, the President of Mahila Congress in the state, described the incident as a "heinous crime," particularly on a day when the state was commemorating the 350th anniversary of the Coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who symbolized justice and gender equality.
In her view, such occurrences are not unexpected under the BJP, where women face pressure in every aspect of life. She believes that the individuals responsible for these crimes receive political backing, which emboldens them further with each incident.
"The BJP is more interested in discussing (model-actress) Uorfi Javed's wardrobe for weeks than taking tough measures to ensure safety-security of girls or women who come here from all over Maharashtra, rest of India as well as abroad to study and work," said Savalakhe, taking a potshot without naming Wagh for her raging war with the young celeb (Uorfi Javed) for several days in January.
Failure of home department: Supriya Sule
Accusing the Centre and state of 'not being serious', Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule said that the question of CCTV cameras and security must be prioritised in and around women's hostels.
Terming it as a failure of the home department, she referred to the agitation of the Delhi women wrestlers and said that the very same government which gave the slogan of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' denies justice to the womenfolk, and "from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, women have anger and hatred against the central government".
Neelam Gorhe pens letter to Shinde, Fadnavis
Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council has written a letter to the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis highlighting the burning issue of women's safety and security.
Expressing apprehensions over safety in women's hostels, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Dr. Manisha Kayande has demanded that the government must conduct a thorough audit of the safety-security measures in all such hostels in the state, ascertain if are CCTVs installed there, the antecedents of the security personnel or other staff appointed there, etc.
"In yesterday's incident, the hostel is nearly vacant, the victim girl was given a room on the lower floor, she was found dead on the 4th floor, she had complained to the hostel authorities but they failed to heed her... All this needs to be fully investigated," demanded Dr. Kayande.
Blot on Maharashtra: Trupti Desai
Social activist and Bhumata Ranragini Brigade chief Trupti Desai said the incident is a "blot on Maharashtra" and the state must probe if there was more than one person involved in the Tuesday incident and a possible deeper conspiracy in the crime.
The male brigade like Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, state Congress President Nana Patole, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, NCP Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase and more have also attacked the ruling Shinde-Fadnavis government over the incident.
Slamming the Sena-BJP alliance, Patole demanded the resignation of Fadnavis for failing to protect the women in the state from such horrific crimes and ensuring a secure environment for the womenfolk.
(With inputs from agencies)
