Sharad Pawar bats for Bengal-like bill in Maharashtra to deal with crime against women

Kolhapur, Sep 4 (IANS) Amid outcry over the incidents of crime against women in Maharashtra, NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday made a strong case for the legislation to be passed by the state assembly on the lines of Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024 passed in the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday.

“In the wake of the upcoming election, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will not meet in the near future. It will be our endeavour to include in the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s manifesto to propose legislation on the lines of the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024 which calls for a time-bound action against those involved in rapes,” he said extending his party’s support to the West Bengal’s legislation.

Pawar’s statement came a day after the veteran NCP (SP) leader and former home minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday held a dharna near Mantralaya in south Mumbai demanding the implementation of the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed by the legislature during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and now pending for the Presidential assent.

Pawar expressed serious concern over the daily reporting of cases of crime and violence against women in Maharashtra. He took a dig at the MahaYuti leaders blaming the opposition for doing politics over the sexual abuse cases including the Badlapur case in which two four-year-old girls from Badlapur’s reported school were sexually assaulted. He added that in Badlapur the people from that area had spontaneously staged an agitation and there was no involvement of opposition.

“If you see the newspapers, every day two to three cases of crime and violence against women are reported which is not a good sign in a state like Maharashtra. The state government especially the home department is not doing enough to instil confidence among the people by taking stern action. They are not discharging their responsibility fully which was not happening earlier in the state,” he noted. He also condemned the police action against the agitators saying that there was nothing wrong in expressing their anger in the democracy.

Pawar also lashed out at the MahaYuti over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at Rajkot Fort in Malvan in Sindhudurg district saying that it was due to the corruption and the manner in which the work was carried out in haste by roping in an inexperienced sculptor. He also took a swipe at the MahaYuti leaders for their statements that the fall took place due to heavy winds.

Pawar strongly opposed the 802 km Nagpur-Goa greenfield project titled Shaktipeeth Highway which has been opposed by ruling and opposition parties citing its adverse impact on agriculture. In the wake of strong protests, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde recently announced that the proposed highway will not be forced on the people assuring the realignment of the route.