Woman attempts self-immolation outside Vidhan Bhavan in Nagpur to protest remarks against icons

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A 28-year-old woman tried to set herself ablaze outside the Maharashtra legislature complex in Nagpur on Friday to protest alleged derogatory remarks made against iconic personalities, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, by Governor B S Koshyari and some other leaders, police said.

The winter session of the state legislature, which began on Monday, will end on December 30.

The woman, Kavita Chavan, came outside the Vidhan Bhavan complex around 2.30 pm and poured yellow- coloured combustible liquid on herself. The police staff deployed at the gate of the legislature complex noticed it and overpowered her, an official said.

The woman, who is a resident of Solapur district, questioned the police why no action was being taken over the remarks against Shivaji Maharaj and social reformers Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule. Later, she raised slogans hailing Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.

"Before she could set herself ablaze, the police stopped her. She was then taken to the Sitabuldi police station," inspector Atul Sabnis said, adding that action would be taken against her.

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Governor Koshyari had recently said that Shivaji Maharaj was a "hero of the past", while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed the Maratha warrior king sought mercy from the Mughal empire. Their remarks caused state-wide protests.

Last Saturday, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction and Congress had taken out 'Halla Bol' protest march against the Eknath Shinde-BJP government, where the opposition leaders demanded immediate removal of the governor.

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