Women should carry knife, chilli powder in purse for protection: Maharashtra minister at IWD event

Maharashtra minister Gulabrao Patil on Saturday suggested that women should carry knives, chilli powder along with lipstick in their purse for self-protection. Speaking at an event here to mark International Women's Day, the senior Shiv Sena leader also highlighted the steps taken by the government for women's empowerment, including slashing MSRTC bus fares by half, the Ladki Bahin scheme and free education for girls.

"Even if we talk about women empowerment, bad incidents are taking place today....When we were inspired by the thoughts of Shiv Sena pramukh (Bal Thackeray), journalists had criticised him severely for saying that women should carry chilli powder and Rampuri knife along with lipstick," he said.

"But same is the situation today. This (carrying such items) is my request to the young women today for self-protection," Patil added. He was referring to recent cases of crimes against women, including the rape of a 26-year-old girl at an MSRTC depot in Pune on February 25.