The row over Thane's Badlapur horrific incident is intensifying in Maharashtra and has taken a political colour. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Shiv Sena UBT, Sharad Pawar's NCP-SP and Congress has announced a Maharashtra Bandh on August 24, citing the increasing atrocities and rapes against women in the state.
The opposition accused the Eknath Shinde government of insensitivity. The opposition is attacking the government over the sexual harassment case, particularly the incident in Badlapur, Thane district, where two four-year-old girls were sexually assaulted, sparking public outrage. Angered by the incident, residents staged a massive protest in the Badlapur area and at the railway station. Subsequently, cases were registered against the protesters who demonstrated at Badlapur railway station.
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said, "We had a meeting today and on August 24 we called for Bandh. The Badlapur incident is serious."
The issue has also sparked a political uproar. On Wednesday, NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule targeted the Maharashtra government over the Badlapur sexual harassment case and demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio.
Sule accused the Eknath Shinde-led government of not taking women’s safety seriously, claiming that the government is too preoccupied with breaking up political parties to focus on the concerns of ordinary citizens.
State Congress President Nana Patole also criticized the state government, saying that it was playing politics in the Badlapur incident. He claimed that 21,000 such incidents have happened in the state, and the government is hiding them.
"The government itself is doing politics in this. The biggest state where crime against children takes place is Maharashtra. 21,000 such incidents have happened in the state and the government is hiding them. On August 24 we have called for Maharashtra Bandh," Patole said.
Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut said instead of discussing seat sharing for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, we discussed the law and order in the state after the Badlapur incident. We have decided that on August 24.
"We had come here to discuss seat sharing but then we thought that we would not discuss seat sharing and instead discuss the law and order in the state after the Badlapur incident. The people of Maharashtra are agitated and FIRs have been registered against those who protested. We have decided that on August 24, MVA will call for Maharashtra Bandh over the Badlapur incident," Raut told reporters.
NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad said, "Yesterday, FIRs have been filed against 300 people protesting against the Badlapur incident...This is an unconstitutional government...The culprits are increasing and against this Maharashtra Bandh is important."
Massive protests erupted in Badlapur town on Tuesday (August 20) as angry parents and local residents blocked railway tracks and vandalised the school where two young students were sexually assaulted by a male attendant last week. The protesters demanded strict punishment for the accused, who was arrested on August 17.