Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Friday criticised the Centre and the Shinde-Fadnavis Maharashtra government for their insensitivity towards women, while referring to the Delhi police’s crackdown on a protest by women wrestlers and the increasing crimes against women in Maharashtra.
Ms. Sule, who recently assumed her new party post, said that the way the Delhi police handled the protest by women wrestlers and rising incidence of crime against women in Maharashtra were proof of the ‘insensitivity’.
During her maiden visit to office after becoming the party’s national president, she met with the family members of an 18-year-old student who was raped and murdered in a government hostel in Mumbai, and blamed the State Home Department, which is handled by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, for failing to ensure the safety and security of women.
“I will appeal to the Centre to expedite justice in the case,” she said.
When asked about speculation regarding her cousin and NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s dissatisfaction with her elevation in the party, the Baramati MP dismissed it and referred to him as the ‘Amitabh Bachchan of Maharashtra politics’.
Further highlighting the need for democracy and decentralisation of power, she said “but the prevailing political situation reflected something different. One Minister holds 10 to 15 portfolios and local bodies and civic bodies have been functioning without elections being held”, expressing her confusion on who is actually running the affairs of the State.
She also mentioned that the NCP had begun its preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi would meet soon.
