A junior Union minister, Raksha Khadse, has questioned women’s safety in Maharashtra after her daughter was harassed at a fair in Jalgaon. Accompanied by supporters, she filed a police complaint, stating she seeks justice as a mother, not as a politician. Deputy Superintendent of Police confirmed several girls were harassed, naming seven suspects, one of whom has been arrested. Khadse criticized the state’s law-and-order situation, highlighting increased violence against women and stressing the need for action. Opposition Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal also condemned the situation, claiming safety has deteriorated under the ruling BJP coalition. Chief Minister Fadnavis vowed strict action against the accused.
Mumbai:
A junior minister in the Union cabinet has raised alarms regarding women’s safety in Maharashtra following the harassment of her minor daughter at a fair in Jalgaon district, providing leverage to the opposition Congress concerning the law-and-order situation in the state.
Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports and a BJP leader, visited the police station today to lodge a complaint, supported by numerous party workers and supporters.
“Every year, a yatra is held in Kothali to celebrate Shivratri. My daughter attended this fair the day before yesterday and was harassed by some boys. I am here at the police station to file a complaint,” she informed reporters outside the station.
“I am here as a mother seeking justice, not as a Union Minister and MP,” Ms. Khadse added, visibly distressed.
Kushanat Pingde, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muktainagar, reported that the accused misbehaved with multiple girls and even confronted their bodyguards when they intervened. He mentioned that seven individuals were named in the case, with one already arrested.
Denying any political influence, he confirmed that a case has been filed for molestation, alongside charges under the POCSO Act. Additionally, charges under the IT Act have been included since the accused recorded videos of the girls.
Ms. Khadse, representing the ruling BJP in Maharashtra, expressed concerns about the safety of ordinary citizens when even families of ministers are not secure. She questioned, “If my own daughter is not safe, what will be the condition of others? I will demand strict action from the state government for the implementation of the law.”
“If the daughter of a public representative is being harassed, what about the safety of ordinary citizens?” she inquired.
Ms. Khadse, a three-time MP from the Raver constituency, stated that crimes against women have surged across Maharashtra and that there seems to be no fear of the law. Many girls are reluctant to come forward, but we must not remain silent, she emphasized, adding that she intends to meet the Chief Minister to demand action on such incidents.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal intensified his criticism post-incident, urging Devendra Fadnavis to resign as Chief Minister. He criticized the ruling coalition known as Mahayuti, claiming that the law and order situation had deteriorated in the state.
“There has been a significant increase in atrocities against women and girls in the state due to the presence of criminals. If the daughters of Union Ministers are not safe, we can only imagine the plight of ordinary people’s children,” he stated in an online post.
In response, Mr. Fadnavis mentioned that members of a “specific party” were involved in the crime, and assured that strict measures would be enforced against them.
“Regrettably, the crime involved workers from a specific party. Police have filed a case and apprehended several individuals. The rest will be captured soon. Those responsible will not escape punishment. The strictest actions will be taken against them,” Mr. Fadnavis remarked.
This incident comes in the wake of the Pune rape case, which has further alarmed the state.
Last Tuesday, a 26-year-old woman was raped inside an empty bus parked at the Swargate depot in Pune city. After an extensive search operation, police arrested the suspect, Dattatray Ramdas Gade, in a paddy field. Reports indicate that he had previously been arrested for robbery but had been out on bail since 2019. He has several pending cases related to theft, robbery, and chain-snatching.