Call assembly session on rising anti-women crimes: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader and former finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Thursday demanded a one day special session of the state legislature to discuss the spurt in cases of atrocities against women in Maharashtra. Mungantiwar, in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, said the government should hold a detailed discussion on the issue by calling a one-day special session of the legislature.

Alternatively, the government can earmark a day during the budget session of the legislature beginning from February 24 to discuss the issue, he said. Mungantiwar said the female lecturer set ablaze by her stalker in Wardha district on February 3 is battling for life in a Nagpur hospital.

In Aurangabad, a 50-year-old Dalit woman, who was set on fire by a neighbour on Sunday after she resisted his move to enter her house died. In Yavatmal, there was an incident where a woman was disrobed and beheaded, the former minister said, adding such incidents have raised questions over women's security.

"I request that a one-day special session of the state legislature be convened to discuss the rising cases of atrocities against women. Or a day should be set aside during the budget session to deliberate on the issue," he said in the letter. "The debate should be about strengthening laws to ensure fast conviction of accused and reviewing the existing laws," the BJP leader said..