Oppn demands resignation of women’s commission chairperson

Maharashtra Opposition demands NCP leader Rupali Chakankar's resignation for inaction on domestic violence complaint linked to the Hagawane family.

MUMBAI: The Opposition in the state government has demanded the resignation of Rupali Chakankar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and head of the state’s women commission, for failing to act promptly on a complaint of domestic violence filed by the family of Mayuri Jagtap, the daughter-in-law of suspended NCP leader Rajendra Hagawane, in November.

Rupali Chakankar

Hagawane and his son Sushil were arrested by Pimpri Chinchwad police on Friday. His wife, daughter and other son were arrested earlier, after their other daughter-in-law Vaishnavi died by suicide a week ago, allegedly unable to bear violent behaviour by her in-laws.

The old complaint made to Chakankar by the Jagtaps was revealed on X by activist Anjali Damania on Friday.

The demand for Chakankar’s resignation on Saturday was made by Rohini Khadse, NCP (SP) women’s wing chief; Kishori Pednekar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader; and Varsha Gaikwad, Mumbai Congress president. Khadse said, “If Chakankar’s cannot give justice to women, she should step down.” Gaikwad demanded that going forward, the chairperson of the commission should be a non-political person. Chakankar’s party colleague Rupali Thombre-Patil also demanded that the role of commission be probed. “If they have not done their job properly, there should be an inquiry,” she said.

In their written complaint, the Jagtaps had alleged that the Hagawanes were asking for a Toyota Fortuner from them and even warned them against approaching the police saying they had connections with politicians and officers in the law-making agency. Meghraj Jagtap, Mayuri’s brother, had emailed the letter to the commission along with pictures of his sister displaying injury marks on her face.