On Monday, the Bhartiya Janata Party's Maharashtra unit staged "aakrosh" (anger) protests across the state against "rising atrocities" on women. State BJP unit chief Chandrakant Patil led the protest in Pune, senior leader Ashish Shelar in Thane, while others took part in Parbhani, Jalna, Solapur etc.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party's Maharashtra unit slammed their protests and tweeted with #BesharamJantaParty. "BJP is protesting in Maharashtra on rising crime against women. On other hand they have such office bearers," the party wrote and tweeted an article in which a BJP leader was allegedly accused of rape.
"Rape culture is prevalent across the BJP's rank and file and is source of national disgrace and embarrassment. BJP's ranks boast of a Chinmayanand against whom charges were watered down, Kuldeep Sengar from Unnao was actually convicted as a rapist, Kathua where BJP office bearers marched in support of the rapists and Hathras-where the UP Govt destroyed evidence on national television," said AAP's Maharashtra unit.
"Here is the list of some prominent BJP leaders who accused of sexual abuse : Kuldeep Singh Sengar, Swami Chinmayanand, Bhojpal Singh, Jayesh Patel, Vijay Jolly, Kashimira Anil Bhosale, Venkatesh Maurya, Hamid Sardar, Nihal Chand, Pramod Gupta," tweeted AAP Mumbai.
"Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj set an example for everyone, when he personally intervened to ensure that daughter of Subedar of Kalyan, wasn't violated. The BJP is the anti-thesis of Maharaj's Swarajya. In Mumbai, BJP leader and Fadnavis confidante Mani Balan was reinstated despite BJP leader Divya Dhole's complaints. The list is endless. I urge all Mumbaikars to boycott this 'Besharam Janta Party", said Dhananjay Shinde, AAP's Maharashtra Secretary.
AAP leader Preeti Sharma Menon lashed out at the saffron party and said, "BJP is a party that protects rapists, the party that burns victims in the stealth of the night and destroys evidence in full public view are protesting against women related crimes. Public memory is no longer short, Mumbaikars won't ever forget Hathras- which is what the BJP stands for."
She called BJP's protest "a farce". "It as attempt to co-opt issues without addressing them, while giving a free run to BJP leadership which harbours oppression against Dalits and women," she added.
"BJP has organized a protest in mumbai, against rising crimes against women. Irony just died. Nothing can be more hypocritical than this. Shame. Fail," tweeted AAP leader Ruben Mascarenhas.
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