30 June,2026 01:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic
The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday welcomed the Special Court's decision to award the death penalty to the prime accused in the Nasrapur minor rape and murder case but questioned whether the verdict alone would improve the safety of women and children in Maharashtra.
In an editorial published in the party's mouthpiece, Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the judgment may have brought justice to the victim's family but argued that it also exposed deeper shortcomings in the state's law and order machinery.
The editorial acknowledged that the conviction had been secured within 58 days, a timeline the ruling government is expected to highlight as an example of swift justice.
However, the party argued that the more pressing question is whether such speedy convictions would lead to a reduction in crimes against women and children.
According to the editorial, the verdict provides closure to the victim's parents but does not address the larger issue of public safety across the state.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged that the Maharashtra government has been focusing on corruption, financial scams, examination paper leaks and political defections instead of strengthening public safety.
The editorial claimed that incidents of violent crime have become increasingly common across several parts of Maharashtra, raising concerns over the state's law and order situation.
Referring to Pune, the party said the city, once regarded as Maharashtra's cultural and educational hub, has witnessed a rise in crimes against women, dowry deaths, violent gang activity and murders.
The editorial also claimed that law and order had deteriorated in Nagpur, alleging that complaints from women were not being adequately addressed.
The party listed several recent cases involving crimes against women and children to support its criticism of the government's handling of public safety.
According to the editorial, a seven-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the Kasheli area of Bhiwandi, while a four-year-old child in Kolhapur was allegedly assaulted after being lured with chocolates.
It also referred to an incident in Pimpri-Chinchwad where a residential complex security guard allegedly attempted to molest young girls. The editorial further mentioned the Badlapur school sexual assault case, an attempted assault on two girls in Ghatkopar and the alleged assault of a minor girl in Kalyan's Kolshewadi area.
The party argued that these incidents reflected a wider pattern of growing insecurity across the state.
The editorial criticised the government over what it described as a disconnect between welfare initiatives for women and their safety.
It alleged that while schemes aimed at women have been promoted extensively, adequate measures to ensure their physical security have not been implemented.
The party also referred to recent incidents of violence on Mumbai's suburban railway network, saying even routine travel had become increasingly unsafe.
The editorial also referred to the Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, passed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in 2020 to strengthen legal provisions against crimes targeting women. It claimed the legislation has remained pending with the Central government.
Citing official figures, the party said more than 23,000 cases involving violence and the murder of minor children have been registered in Maharashtra in recent years, arguing that existing laws have not acted as a sufficient deterrent.
While acknowledging the judiciary's swift handling of the Nasrapur case, the editorial maintained that responsibility for ensuring public safety ultimately rests with the state government.
"The crucial questions regarding state security cannot be answered by the judiciary. They must be answered by the state government and the Chief Minister, who holds the Home Ministry portfolio," remarked the editorial.
"Can the ruling politicians, who have allowed a progressive and safe state like Maharashtra to slide into a dark alley stretching from Badlapur to Nasrapur, provide these answers? Only when women and young children can step out and breathe freely without fear will true justice be achieved. Until then, a single hanging remains just a temporary response to a permanent crisis, leaving the haunting question wide open: What next?" asked the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
(With inputs from IANS)
