Shiv Sena (UBT) in 'Saamana': After Nasrapur convict sentenced to death, what next?

The Shiv Sena UBT on Tuesday welcomed the Special Courts 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 MaharashtraIn an editorial published in the partys mouthpiece Saamana the Uddhav Thackerayled party said the judgment may have brought justice to the victims family but argued that it also exposed deeper shortcomings in the states law and order machinerySena UBT says verdict alone cannot curb crimesThe 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 justiceHowever the party argued that the more pressing question is whether such speedy convictions would lead to a reduction in crimes against women and childrenAccording to the editorial the verdict provides closure to the victims parents but does not address the larger issue of public safety across the stateOpposition accuses government of ignoring law and orderThe 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 safetyThe editorial claimed that incidents of violent crime have become increasingly common across several parts of Maharashtra raising concerns over the states law and order situationReferring to Pune the party said the city once regarded as Maharashtras cultural and educational hub has witnessed a rise in crimes against women dowry deaths violent gang activity and murdersThe editorial also claimed that law and order had deteriorated in Nagpur alleging that complaints from women were not being adequately addressedEditorial cites recent crimes across MaharashtraThe party listed several recent cases involving crimes against women and children to support its criticism of the governments handling of public safetyAccording to the editorial a sevenyearold girl was sexually assaulted in the Kasheli area of Bhiwandi while a fouryearold child in Kolhapur was allegedly assaulted after being lured with chocolatesIt also referred to an incident in PimpriChinchwad 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 Kalyans Kolshewadi areaThe party argued that these incidents reflected a wider pattern of growing insecurity across the stateQuestions raised over womens safety initiativesThe editorial criticised the government over what it described as a disconnect between welfare initiatives for women and their safetyIt alleged that while schemes aimed at women have been promoted extensively adequate measures to ensure their physical security have not been implementedThe party also referred to recent incidents of violence on Mumbais suburban railway network saying even routine travel had become increasingly unsafeCalls for action beyond court verdictsThe 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 governmentCiting official figures the party said more than 23000 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 deterrentWhile acknowledging the judiciarys swift handling of the Nasrapur case the editorial maintained that responsibility for ensuring public safety ultimately rests with the state governmentThe 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 editorialCan 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 Thackerayled Shiv SenaWith inputs from IANS