The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) sought immediate withdrawal of four-wheelers procured under the ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ by the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government. The vehicles are being used to provide police escort and security to Shinde camp MLAs.
In its letter, the Sharad Pawar-led party highlighted widely reported that the Maharashtra Home department has diverted almost 40 vehicles procured under the ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ for escorting MLA’s of Shinde Faction.
This decision of the government is being criticised by the citizens of the state and is highly condemnable as the basic premise of the entire Nirbhaya scheme stands defeated, it added.
“Home Ministry has granted Y+ security to all MLAs of the Shinde faction which itself seems like a move to accord VIP status to MLAs more than anything else. It is shameful how these MLAs have accepted these vehicles and nobody seems to be bothered or willing to voluntarily withdraw the said vehicles after it has come to light that these vehicles were procured for the protection of women,” read the letter.
It further read, “The Nirbhaya fund was created to enable the police machinery to effectively deal with issues relating to the safety of the women in the state. By diverting vehicles meant for woman safety and pressing them in the service for protecting MLAs supporting the Government is clearly violative of the Nirbhaya Scheme and the Government is duty bound to correct the wrong which has been committed purely under political pressure.”
While concluding it, the NCP said it demands the immediate withdrawal of the said vehicles deployed for MLAs security and to be sent back to the Nirbhaya Squad.
