NEW DELHI: Union minister Raksha Khadse filed a police complaint on Sunday regarding her daughter and friends being harassed by a group of boys during an event in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that the accused belong to a political party and some of them have been apprehended.
The complaint was registered at Muktainagar police station following the incident at Sant Muktai Yatra in Kothali village on Friday night.
The Union minister and BJP leader explained to reporters that while she was in Gujarat, her daughter sought permission to attend the event. She had instructed her daughter to be accompanied by security personnel. The group of boys followed her daughter and friends, took photographs and videos, and when the staff intervened, “the boys resorted to unruly behaviour, and a mob of 30 to 40 people gathered.”
Khadse revealed that her daughter informed her about similar misconduct by the same group at a public event on February 24.
“It is unfortunate. If such things happen to an MP or Union minister’s daughter, imagine what common people have to go through,” she said.
She expressed concern about public safety, noting that local residents reported these boys regularly harassed schoolgirls.
Chief minister Fadnavis, speaking in Raigad, confirmed the political affiliation of the perpetrators and assured strict action against them.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal criticised the Mahayuti government’s handling of law and order, highlighting the severity of the incident occurring despite security presence.
“The incident of Union Minister Khadse’s daughter being molested by thugs and security guards being pushed is extremely worrying and shows that women and girls are not safe in the state,” he said.
“There has been an increase in atrocities against women and girls in the state. If the daughter of a Union minister is unsafe, it is better not to think about girls of common citizens,” he added.