On Wednesday, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule criticized the Maharashtra government in relation to the Badlapur sexual abuse case. She called for the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is responsible for the home portfolio, citing the government's handling of the situation.
Speaking to reporters at a protest organized to condemn the Badlapur incident, Supriya Sule accused the Eknath Shinde-led government of failing to prioritize women's safety. She claimed that while the administration was preoccupied with political maneuvering, it neglected the concerns of ordinary citizens.
Sule said, “Had action been taken by the education minister immediately after the incident at the school, the need for an agitation would not have arisen. It shows that this government is not at all serious about the safety of women. The government is busy breaking the houses, parties, using the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate.” The Baramati MP criticised Fadnavis over the incident and asked what happened to the Shakti Act that was brought earlier.
Sule demanded that the Home Minister, who she noted spends more time in Delhi than in Mumbai, provide an explanation for the incident. She asserted that, as a matter of moral responsibility, the Home Minister should resign. Sule also questioned the delay in filing an FIR and called for an investigation into the police's inaction in the case.
On Tuesday, a massive protest erupted in Badlapur town, Thane district, as outraged residents blocked railway tracks and vandalized the school where two kindergarten girls were sexually abused by an attendant last week. The protesters called for severe punishment for the accused, who was arrested on August 17.