Opposition Demands Maharashtra Bandh On August 24 In Response To Badlapur Abuse Incident

In response to the Badlapur sexual abuse case, the opposition has escalated the situation by calling for a statewide shutdown in Maharashtra on August 24. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance, which includes the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP), and the Congress, reached this decision following a meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar stated that all MVA allies will participate in the bandh. He emphasized that the discussions centered on the BJP-led Mahayuti government’s failures, particularly in ensuring women’s safety.

The abuse involved two young girls, under the age of four, who were sexually assaulted by a male cleaning staff at their Badlapur school. The assault occurred in the toilet, which lacked female attendants.

The case was uncovered when one of the girls informed her parents of discomfort in her private area. The revelation sparked a significant protest in Badlapur, with demonstrators blocking railway tracks at the local station.

In response, the Maharashtra government has announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident, and the accused has been detained.

Opposition leaders argue that the parents of the victims faced an 11-hour wait for the FIR to be filed. On Wednesday, Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad led a demonstration outside Mantralaya, the state secretariat, criticizing the government for the delay in the FIR registration. Vijay Wadettiwar and several Congress leaders joined the protest, holding placards and chanting slogans against the government.

This incident has occurred alongside the ongoing agitation over the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata.