Sharad Pawar slams Maharashtra govt over 'security' of women, contractual hiring

Addressing a press conference, Sharad Pawar claimed that there were 19,553 women reported "missing" from the state between January 1 and May 31 this year

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Friday targeted the Maharashtra government over the "security" of women and "contractual hiring" in the state, reported news agency PTI.

Addressing a press conference, Sharad Pawar claimed that there were 19,553 women reported "missing" from the state between January 1 and May 31 this year, reported PTI.

He also slammed the government over the "contractual hiring" of personnel in Mumbai police. Sharad Pawar said the state has taken the decision to conduct government recruitments on contract, reported PTI.

Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government issued an order to hire 3,000 personnel from its own security corporation who will work under the Mumbai police.

These personnel drawn from the Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC), a government undertaking, will work under contract and assist the Mumbai police in select duties for a specific period of time.

Meanwhile, NCP president Sharad Pawar on Thursday opposed the Maharashtra government's decision to hire personnel from a state-run security corporation for certain policing duties in Mumbai, saying there will be no provision for reservation in such 'contractual' recruitment, reported PTI.

The Shiv Sena-BJP government has issued an order to hire 3,000 personnel from the Maharashtra State Security Corporation. They will work under the Mumbai Police.

Such contractual hiring will not allow for reservation for Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes and Other Backward Classes, and women aspirants too may get left out, Pawar, a former chief minister, said.

"We strongly oppose this. Once you hire anyone on contract, his job is for a specific period, be it a year, year and a half, or two years. Once that period is over, the person has to leave," he said while interacting with parry workers.

It will be unwise to assume that a person appointed in the police department on contract will work diligently, he added.

"Even if the government has taken this policy decision, our stand is not to let it happen," Pawar said.

In response to a question on the I-N-D-I-A alliance, Sharad Pawar said the policy decisions on which the alliance members agree can be implemented in the states where they are in power.

"Even if we do not have power (at the Centre), we are in power in some states. We can start (taking policy decisions) in some states," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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