Maharashtra: Vehicles bought under Nirbhaya Fund diverted for Y-plus security to Eknath Shinde-led faction lawmakers

Some of the vehicles procured by the Mumbai Police earlier this year under the Nirbhaya Fund to fight crime against women are currently being used for providing Yplus security to the MLAs and MPs of the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a police official said on SundayIn June this year the city police force had procured 220 Boleros 35 Ertigas 313 Pulsar motorcycle and 200 Activa twowheelers using the Rs 30 crore corpus that it had received under the Nirbhaya fundThe development prompted the opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party NCP to attack the Shindeled government as they asked if the security of the ruling legislators was more important than protecting womenThe Nirbhaya Fund is being given to the state governments by the Centre since 2013 to implement schemes related to womens safetyAfter the vehicles were procured in June they were distributed to all 97 police stations cyber traffic and coastal police units in July the official saidOf these vehicles 47 Boleros were requisitioned from several police stations by the Motor Transport Department of the Mumbai Police following an order from the VIP Security section of the state police stating that they are required for use as escort vehicle for MPs and MLAs of the Shinde faction to provide YPlus security cover to them he saidHowever 17 of the vehicles which were used for the security of these lawmakers were returned to police stations after the requirement was fulfilled he addedBut 30 Boleros are yet to be returned which has impacted the police patrolling in the jurisdiction of respective police stations the official saidThe Congress and NCP criticised the Shinde led government for diverting the vehicles to provide security to the lawmakers of the ruling partyIs the security of ruling MLAs more important than protecting women from abuse Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant askedAlso Read Mumbai 1992 riots Cops nab absconding suspect from Dindoshi after 18 yearsIt is appalling and outrageous to see the Nirbhaya Fund which is meant for the Nirbhayas of Maharashtra being used for the security of MLAs he saidNCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said SUVs bought with Nirbhaya Fund diverted to provide Yplus security to Shinde legislators Shameful misuse of power by ShindeFadnavis government Eknath Shindes legislators must hang their heads in shamePresident of NCPs Maharashtra unit Jayant Patil said the Nirbhaya Fund was set up by the United Progressive Alliance UPA government for protection of womenIt is shocking that the vehicles procured for helping the police to carry out their duties of protecting women are being misused for protection of the breakawayMLAs On one hand the chief minister claims to have support of the people and on the other hand each of the breakaway MLA and MP are being provided Yplus category security which comprises 5 police personnel he saidIf people are with you what do you fear he askedPatil demanded that the vehicles be sent back to the respective police stations and said security of women was more important than security of the breakaway legislatorsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever