Congress Launches 'Laapataa Ladies' Campaign, Targets Maharashtra Government On Women's Safety

As the political temperature rises in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming elections, the Congress party has launched a new campaign, 'Laapataa Ladies' to spotlight what it calls the ruling 'Mahayuti' government's poor performance on women's safety.

The campaign, which takes its name from last year's hit movie 'Laapataa Ladies', uses posters featuring the slogan "64,000 women missing in a year" to draw attention to the alarming statistics on missing women in the state.

The posters, circulating across the state, feature silhouettes of key leaders: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. These visuals are designed to tie the political leadership to the growing concerns around women's safety.

The movie 'Laapataa Ladies' itself, released last year, earned widespread acclaim for its satirical take on patriarchy. The Congress' choice to mirror its name for their campaign is a pointed jab at the current administration, as the film has since become a cultural touchstone and was even selected as India's official entry to the Oscars.

The Congress campaign is further underscored by a recent horrific incident of sexual abuse involving two schoolgirls in Badlapur, Maharashtra, which sparked public outrage. The party is focusing much of its criticism on Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio and is therefore directly responsible for law and order in the state.

Fadnavis himself has previously acknowledged the issue of missing women. Speaking in the Maharashtra Assembly last August, he revealed that each year, roughly 64,000 women and girls go missing in the state. While he noted that the majority - around 86-87% - return home, the statistics remain deeply concerning. "We have been taking steps to bring this percentage down," Fadnavis assured at the time, though the Congress is now using the same figures to question the government's effectiveness.

In response to growing pressure, the Maharashtra government has recently launched the 'Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' to appeal to women voters. This welfare scheme promises a monthly payment of Rs 1,500 to eligible women aged 21 to 65, provided their family income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh per year. The initiative is seen as an attempt by the ruling coalition to regain the confidence of women voters, who will be a crucial demographic in the upcoming election.

The electoral contest is shaping up to be a fierce battle between the ruling coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and Ajit Pawar's NCP, and the Opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT faction), and Sharad Pawar's NCP faction. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition bloc performed impressively, winning 30 of Maharashtra's 48 seats. They will look to build on this momentum, while the ruling alliance is gearing up to reverse its fortunes.

As both sides brace for a tough fight, the focus on women's safety and welfare is likely to be a pivotal issue that could swing the election outcome. With campaigns like "Laapata Ladies," the Congress hopes to keep the spotlight on the state's troubling track record on this front, while the ruling MVA will aim to emphasize its new welfare initiatives in an attempt to counteract the criticism.