Maharashtra govt. announces compensation to rape victim family

Five days after the incident of rape and murder of a 15-year old girl in Ahmednagar’s Kopardi village — which brought back the memories of Delhi’s Nirbhaya case — the State government on Monday woke up to the outburst of peoples’ anger and Opposition’s attack by announcing Rs. 8 lakh compensation for the family of the victim. The issue rocked the first day of the monsoon session of the State legislature with

Opposition bringing in adjournment motion in both the Houses and demanding discussion on the incident. The Opposition slammed the government for not taking cognisance of the incident for three days and swinging in action only after peoples’ outburst and media coverage. “The government should feel ashamed for the deteriorating law and order situation in this State. Neither the Home Minister nor guardian Minister bothered to meet the family of the victim after the incident. This is highly insensitive on their part,” said Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, while supporting the adjournment motion moved by Congress MLA Nitesh Rane.

“The House must keep all its business aside and discuss the Kopardi case. There cannot be anything more important than this. Such a law should be brought in which will send shivers to men who even think of committing such heinous crime,” said NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

No-confidence motion

Irate after the Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagde denied the permission for discussion, the Opposition later in the late evening decided to bring in no-confidence motion against Mr. Bagde. An aggressive Opposition raised a similar demand in the state council, with LoP Dhananjay Munde moving adjournment motion. Senior Congress MLC Narayan Rane slammed the government claiming the criminals in the state have no fear of law.

On the back foot, the government agreed to discuss the matter on Tuesday. Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis read out a statement describing government’s action in the case. “The case shall run in fast track court and Ujjwal Nikam will be the public prosecutor in the case,” he said.

Announcing compensation, Mr. Fadnavis, apart from the Rs. 3 lakh from State government’s Manodhairya scheme, announced an extra Rs. 5 lakh from the CM relief fund. The authorities till now have arrested three accused in the case.

On Sunday, MoS Home Deepak Kesarkar, who visited the victim’s family, was gheraoed by local women who demanded action against the arrested accused.