Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has said governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari should request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to convene a Parliament session to discuss the safety of women and growing attacks on them, hitting back after Koshyari asked him to convene a special session of the Assembly against the backdrop of the rape and murder of a young woman in Mumbai.

In his letter to the governor on Monday, the chief minister said such “instructions” by the governor could stoke a “new controversy” and were “damaging” democratic parliamentary procedures.

A governor is expected to go by the advice of the cabinet on convening the Assembly.

Uddhav gave figures of crimes against women in BJP-ruled states, including Uttarakhand that is the home state of RSS veteran Koshyari.

“I can understand your feelings for calling a special session of the Maharashtra Assembly against the backdrop of the Saki Naka incident in Mumbai. Your soul is of a political worker. However, the instructions given by you could stoke a new controversy,” the chief minister wrote.

A 34-year-old woman was allegedly raped inside a stationary tempo in Saki Naka area earlier this month. She died in hospital.

Uddhav said women’s safety was a nationwide issue and the governor should ask Modi and Shah to convene a four-day special session of Parliament, at which the Saki Naka incident too could be discussed.

“It is damaging to parliamentary democratic procedures that the governor also makes the same demand being made by those who are opposing the state government. The state is taking firm steps to curb such incidents,” Uddhav stated.

“Uttarakhand, your home state, is also known as Devbhoomi. Government data show that attacks on women have increased by 150 per cent. Can a special session be called there?” he asked.

He pointed out that 14,229 women had been reported missing in Gujarat in the last two years.

“A Gujarat police report says that at least 14 women daily face rape or sexual assault. Going by such high numbers, Gujarat would need at least a month-long session.

“Despite many attacks on women in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has not made any demand for a special session,” Thackeray added.