Sule was speaking to reporters after visiting Swargate depot of MSRTC, where a 26-year-old woman was raped inside a parked bus on February 25 morning
Supriya Sule. File Pic/PTI
The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule on Monday criticised the Maharashtra government for "rise" in crimes against women and said those in power must adopt a more sensitive approach to victims of such cases, reported the PTI.
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Sule was speaking to reporters after visiting Swargate depot of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), where a 26-year-old woman was raped inside a parked bus on February 25 morning. History-sheeter Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37) was held in the case on February 27 and has been remanded in police custody till March 12.
"Data shows that crimes, including those against women, have risen in the last few months. Today, a police officer was attacked with a 'koyta' (long blade knife). The (stalking and harassment) incident with the daughter of Union Minister Raksha Khadse (in Muktainagar in Jalgaon) that came to light yesterday is shocking," Supriya Sule said, according to the PTI.
A deputy commissioner of police and an assistant inspector were injured on Monday in Chinchoshi village in Khed tehsil of Pune when two armed dacoits attacked them while they were trying to apprehend them in connection with a robbery case in Pune.
In an apparent reference to comments of state minister Yogesh Kadam about no one getting to know of the Pune bus rape incident as there was "no force", Sule said the case was being handled insensitively and urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to advise his ministers to exhibit sensitivity.
Speaking further on Yogesh Kadam's comments, which some have condemned as an example of victim shaming, Supriya Sule said it was unfortunate to see the case "being taken in a different direction", as per the PTI.
"All of Maharashtra is standing strongly with the victim. If anyone tries to raise questions about her, we will protest against such persons," the Baramati MP said.
"Even after the Badlapur case (where two children were molested by a school attendant), I had requested the then deputy CM (Fadnavis), who held the home portfolio, to run the trial in a fast track court. This case (Pune bus rape) must also be run in a fast track court and the accused must be executed in public," Supriya Sule said, the news agency reported.
Sule said she had been seeking an appointment with Fadnavis to discuss these issues.
"We do not want to bring politics into all these cases. We want the government to be more sympathetic and fair towards these cases," she asserted.
Speaking on the December abduction and murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, she said a key accused is still to be arrested.
Despite opposition and some ruling alliance members seeking the resignation of minister Dhananjay Munde, whose key aide Walmik Karad is an accused in the extortion case related to Deshmukh's murder, Supriya Sule said the Fadnavis government is dilly-dallying.
Slamming Munde, Sule said the person is "involved in domestic violence, extortion and corruption".
"What else should a person be guilty of before the government takes action," the NCP (SP) leader questioned, the PTI reported.
The CM's decision to appoint OSDs (with a clean record) was praiseworthy, she said.
"Then why is no action being taken against a person who remains in the cabinet despite facing domestic violence accusations," Sule said further attacking Munde.
Munde, an NCP MLA from Parli in Beed is facing a case of domestic violence filed by his estranged wife.
(with PTI inputs)
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