Mumbai, Sep 22 (IANS): A day after the "letter war between the Maharashtra Governor and the Chief Minister flared up in public domain, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's women legislators on Wednesday jumped into the arena, expressing concern over the security of women in the state.

A group of 12 women MLAs shot off a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the issue while Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis slammed him for "politicising the issue".

The women asked the Chief Minister that since law and order is a state subject, why was he attempting to shirk responsibility by "always pointing a finger at the Centre" - instead of tackling the situation here with a firm hand.

Claiming that Maharashtra tops the country in matters of atrocities against females, the women MLAs said his assertion that such things happen even in other states, is not a matter of pride for anyone.

Objecting to Thackeray's demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue, the woman legislators said it would not be a matter of pride if the state's image is tarnished before the whole country when its record is read out.

Citing an example, the letter said that a minor girl was brutally raped in Parbhani and later she committed suicide by consuming poison, and said when the women of the state are living in extreme insecurity, the CM was busy drawing comparisons with other states.

"We feel that by your reply to the Governor, you have made a mockery of the oppressed women in the state," said the letter, urging him to take necessary measures on the issue of women's safety.

The BJP legislators who signed the letter include: Madhuri Misal, Vidya Thakur, Devyani Farande, Manisha Choudhary, Seema Hire, Shweta Mahale-Patil, Meghana Sakore-Bordikar, Dr Namita Mundada, Manda Mhatre, Bharati Lovekar, Monika Rajale, and Mukta Tilak.