India News | Maha Minister Dismisses Allegation of Misusing Vehicles Bought with Nirbhaya Fund

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 12 (ANI): Maharashtra Minister of Women and Child Development Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Monday dismissed the claims of Uddhav camp leaders that Shinde legislators used vehicles bought using Nirbhaya Fund.

Lodha, a minister in the Eknath Shinde government, said, "This is a baseless allegation. Ever since the MVA lost power, it keeps making one or the other allegation."

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Earlier on Sunday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged the Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was ignoring the safety of women in the state.

Chaturvedi alleged that several vehicles procured by the Mumbai Police under the Nirbhaya Fund, which was meant to be used for fighting crimes against women, are instead being used for legislators of the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena faction, which is part of the ruling coalition in the Maharashtra government.

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While addressing a press briefing at Sena Bhavan in Mumbai's Dadar on Sunday Chaturvedi said, "In 2013 Nirbhaya rape case happened in Delhi. Learning from the case, we set up the Nirbhaya Security fund and released several vehicles including 22 Boleros, 35 Ertigas, 313 Pulsar bikes and 200 Activas, in Mumbai specifically dedicated to the safety of women. Now, this government (CM Shinde-led government) used these Nirbhaya Security vehicles for Minister's security."

The Uddhav camp MP added, "We demand an audit and inquiry into Nirbharya Security Fund's allocation. We recently saw the incident of a Korean national being harassed in the city a few days back. All these incidents are happening today under this government. They have no priority towards women's safety."

We will wait for seven days and stage a protest on women's safety if the demands are ignored," she added.

Reacting to Priyanka Chaturvedi's allegations Shinde legislator Lodha said, "If any audit has to be done it should be of the previous rule by MVA of two and a half years." (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)