Mumbai, Feb 27 – Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has strongly criticized the law and order situation in Maharashtra following the alleged rape of a woman inside a parked state transport bus in Pune. Comparing the incident to the horrific 2012 Delhi gangrape case, Raut aimed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the district guardian minister of Pune, over rising crimes against women.
The shocking incident took place at Pune's Swargate bus station on Tuesday when a 26-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted inside a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus. The accused, identified as 37-year-old history-sheeter Dattatray Ramdas Gade, remains absconding.
Raut, addressing reporters, alleged that crimes against women have surged under the current administration. "If the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) were in power, BJP’s women leaders would have staged protests outside Mantralaya by now," he remarked. He also looked at the BJP-led government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides ₹1,500 per month to women, questioning if the financial aid had "purchased their self-respect."
Condemning the Pune incident, Raut stated, "This is just like the Nirbhaya case of Delhi. Fortunately, the woman survived." The 2012 case involved the brutal gangrape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a moving bus in Delhi. This assault led to her death and nationwide protests demanding stronger laws for women's safety.
Government Responds, Promises Strict Action
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described the Pune crime as "unfortunate and condemnable." He assured the accused would not escape justice and directed the Pune police commissioner to ensure immediate arrest. "Such individuals will not be spared, and the government will work towards ensuring they receive capital punishment," Shinde asserted.Shinde also said he had spoken with Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik about auctioning off scrapped MSRTC buses to improve depot security. "The transport minister has already dismissed the security guards at Swargate following this incident. Strict action will be taken against those responsible," he said.
As the accused remains at large, the incident has sparked a fresh political debate over women's safety and law enforcement in Maharashtra.
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