Pune: A protest was held today at Goodluck Chowk, led by Prashant Jagtap, the city president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Women protesters carried placards with the message “Slay the three-headed Ravana, Fight for the dignity of women” as they rallied against the increasing cases of abuse and harassment.

The demonstration gained attention as the placards, featuring images of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, were symbolically set on fire with candles as part of the protest.

The protesters raised slogans against the state government, criticizing its lack of action in curbing the rising tide of violence against women.

Prashant Jagtap, addressing the crowd, expressed his concerns over the daily reports of abuse and injustice towards women and girls across the state.

He pointed to incidents of harassment occurring near educational institutions, where young girls face intimidation and abuse from road-side troublemakers. Jagtap argued that the government has shown little concern for the safety of women, as they are preoccupied with political meetings and tours.

He demanded immediate action from the government to ensure justice for the victims and called for the dismissal of what he described as an “insensitive” government.

The protesters insisted that swift punishment should be meted out to those committing these crimes, stressing the need for greater safety measures for women and girls in Maharashtra.