The Opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra took out a silent protest march on Saturday (August 24, 2024) over crimes against women and the alleged sexual assault of two kindergarten girls in Badlapur. The MVA criticised the Eknath Shinde-led government for its failure to take action against the culprits.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray expressed his disappointment, stating that instead of taking action against those responsible for crimes against women, the Maharashtra government, which he labelled “shameless,” appeared to be protecting them.
Addressing party workers at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar, where he, along with his wife Rashmi and their son, former Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray, participated in a protest, Mr. Uddhav Thackeray said, “It is disgraceful that instead of taking action against the culprits, the government is standing by them. The current Mahayuti administration is the most ‘shameless’ government Maharashtra has ever seen.”
NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, speaking in Pune, said that the Badlapur incident had damaged Maharashtra’s reputation nationwide and accused the State government of neglecting its responsibility to ensure the safety of women.
The Mahayuti coalition consists of the BJP, the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar.
In a thinly veiled criticism of Mr. Shinde, the Sena (UBT) leader referred to him as ‘Kansa Mama,’ a villainous character from the Mahabharata, and mocked him for being more concerned with getting rakhis tied on his wrists than seeking justice for the victims.
Party workers wore black ribbons and black bands over their mouths to express their outrage and similar protests were organised across the state. Undeterred, Mr. Thackeray instructed his party workers to launch a signature campaign under the slogan ‘Bahin Surakshit tar Ghar Surakshit’ [home is safe if sisters are safe], which would be submitted to the Bombay High Court.
“The court may have stopped our bandh, but it cannot silence our voice,” he said.
The incident in question involved the recent arrest of a male attendant accused of sexually assaulting two four-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur, Thane district. This crime had sparked widespread protests in Badlapur earlier in the week.
The Bombay High Court on Friday intervened, preventing political parties from proceeding with the bandh that the opposition MVA had planned for August 24 in response to the Badlapur incident.
Mr. Thackeray further alleged that the government had used its ‘cronies’ to approach the court to halt the bandh called by the MVA, and warned that when all avenues are closed, people have no choice but to take to the streets.
Mr. Pawar, who participated in a silent protest in Pune, criticised the government for being insensitive and dismissing the opposition’s concerns as mere political manoeuvring over the Badlapur incident. “The Badlapur incident has tarnished Maharashtra’s image nationwide,” he said, accusing the government of neglecting its responsibility to ensure the safety of women.
Also Read | Badlapur sexual assault: Son falsely implicated, claim parents of accused
He expressed dismay that such an incident occurred in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji, who was known for delivering swift justice to those who committed crimes against women.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule, the daughter of Mr. Pawar, who joined her father in the silent protest, along with leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, pointed out that numerous incidents similar to the Badlapur sexual abuse case are being reported across the state. “The government is showing a lack of sensitivity. Is it wrong to protest against such heinous acts? In Pune, we have drug case suspects escaping custody, blood samples being tampered with in the Porsche crash case, and the Koyta gang running rampant,” she alleged.
State Congress chief Nana Patole also condemned the government over the Badlapur case, pointing out that such incidents are becoming increasingly common in the state. He added that the government has ‘completely failed’ in its duty.
The Opposition leaders also called for the swift implementation of the Shakti Bill (Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020, and the Special Court & Machinery for Implementation of Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law, 2020) passed by the Maharashtra legislature but still awaiting Presidential assent. This Bill, which was passed during Mr. Thackeray’s tenure as Chief Minister, proposes the death penalty for heinous crimes such as rape and gang rape.
Published - August 24, 2024 12:18 pm IST
