Mumbai: Congress has launched a ‘Laapataa Ladies’ campaign, inspired by the Kiran Rao-directed film of the same name, to highlight the Eknath Shinde government’s performance on women’s safety in the lead-up to the Maharashtra elections.

Posters featuring the words ‘Laapataa Ladies’ have reportedly appeared across the state, accompanied by the alarming statistic, ‘64,000 women missing in a year,’ in Marathi. These posters also include silhouettes that resemble Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

The movie Laapataa Ladies, released last year, received widespread praise for its critique of patriarchy delivered through a comedic lens. It has since been selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars. Congress’ use of the film’s title shows the party’s message about the government’s inability to protect women.

Campaign Specifically Targets Devendra Fadnavis

This campaign follows the recent case of sexual abuse of two schoolgirls in Badlapur, which has sparked outrage across the state. Congress’ campaign specifically targets Devendra Fadnavis, who is responsible for the Home portfolio in the state government. During an Assembly session in August of the previous year, Fadnavis acknowledged that 10 percent of the women who go missing in Maharashtra do not return home.

He stated, “Women’s safety is a cause of concern for the country. In Maharashtra, around 64,000 girls and women go missing every year. During the Covid years of 2019 and 2020, the number was consistent, and in 2021, 61,000 cases were registered. While 87 percent of them returned home in 2021, in 2022, the percentage was 86%. We are working to reduce these numbers further.” The Congress has seized upon these figures to criticize the current government’s record on women’s safety.

Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana Introduced For Women

In response to the growing focus on women’s safety and to appeal to female voters, the state government has launched the ‘Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’. This program offers financial assistance of ₹1,500 per month to eligible women aged 21-65, provided their family’s income is less than ₹2.5 lakh annually.

Tough Fight In Crucial Upcoming Polls

The upcoming election is expected to be a challenging battle between the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance and the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), composed of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the MVA performed strongly, winning 30 of Maharashtra’s 48 seats, and will aim to build on this momentum. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition will seek to regain ground in the upcoming state elections.

The weather in Mumbai shows a temperature of 32 °C, with a predicted fall in temperatures up to 26.99 °C and 33 °C as the minimum and maximum temperatures for the day, respectively, on October 1, Tuesday. The humidity rises to the level of 75%, while the wind blows at a speed of 75 km/h. Today, the sun was seen rising at 06:29 AM and will be setting at 06:27 PM.

Today’s Air Quality

As the city experiences monsoon withdrawals, the air quality has immencely fallen. Mumbai’s air quality is currently classified as ‘Poor’ with an AQI of 167.0.

Tomorrow’s Weather Forecast

The weather forecast for Mumbai on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, anticipates temperatures ranging from 27.89 °C to 29.36 °C. Humidity levels are expected to reach 79% tomorrow.

The forecast for today predicts cloudy skies. Please plan your day according to the temperature and forecasted weather, as well as apply sunscreen and carry umbrellas for just-in-case situations. Have fun in the sun and remember to wear your sunglasses while you bask-in-the warm weather.

How Does The Week Look Ahead?

The clouds are beginning to shift towards the north due to the monsoon withdrawal in Maharashtra. As a result of these weather conditions, there has been a rise in humidity levels and poor air quality, with minimal chance of light showers.

This also means it is time to welcome Autumn and with them comes clear and beautiful blue skies!

Mumbai: A tragic accident occurred on Film City Road in Mumbai’s Goregaon on Tuesday morning, claiming the life of a young schoolgirl. The incident took place near Oberoi Mall, where the girl was on her way to school with her father. She was struck by a dumper and died on the spot.

According to reports, police quickly arrived at the scene, arrested the dumper driver and initiated an investigation into the accident.

Another Hit-And-Run Reported Recently

In another tragic hit-and-run case, a 39-year-old plumber, Sunil Khandu Palke, tragically lost his life on Sunday morning after being hit by an unidentified vehicle near Sindhi Colony in Chembur. The Chunabhatti police are reviewing CCTV footage from the surrounding areas in an effort to identify both the vehicle and the driver involved in the incident.

Palke, a resident of the SRA Co-operative Society in Lal Dongar, Chembur, reportedly lived with his wife Deepali, their son, and his mother. According to the police, Palke had spoken to his wife at around 1:30 am on Sunday, informing her that he was on his way home.

However, after that call, he stopped answering his phone. By 6:30 am, when Palke had still not returned, his son tried calling him again. This time, a police officer answered and informed him that his father had met with an accident and had been taken to Sion Hospital.

Case Filed Against Unknown Car Driver

Despite receiving medical treatment, Palke succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The police have since filed a case against the owner of the unidentified vehicle under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.