Reduce ministers` security, give it to women: Sule

Amravati (Maharashtra): NCP MP Supriya Sule on Monday questioned the heavy security cover of the state ministers, and demanded that security personnel should be instead utilised for protecting the women. Addressing a women`s rally organised by the party here, Sule ticked off the government for providing excess security to the ministers, who, she said, were representatives of the masses. "Who should they fear?" Sule asked, adding that the policemen deployed for minister`s security could be used to provide better security to women in the state.

NCP leader and Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil, as well as party chief and Union Minister Sharad Pawar were present on this occasion. Sule also blamed the Congress-NCP government in the state for lacking the "mindset" for implementation of pro-women policies. Police do not act promptly when women come to the police station with complaints, said Sule, who heads the `yuvati` (young women) cell of her party, demanding that every police station must have lady police personnel. Later, R R Patil said that decision on cutting down the minister`s security would be taken "within eight days". In the last five years, 17,000 women were inducted into police force and another 20,000 would be inducted in the next five years, the state Home Minister said. Patil also said the criminal law should be amended to make molestation a non-bailable offence. The state government would come out with an all-encompassing policy on women`s security, he said. PTI