Badlapur sexual assault: Sharad Pawar appeals for withdrawal of Maharashtra Bandh

Sharad Pawar. File Pic

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday appealed to withdraw the call for Maharashtra Bandh, to protest Badlapur sexual assault, hours after he had previously expressed his support for the same. His appeal to withdraw came in light of the Bombay High Court order terming the Bandh "unconstitutional". Sharad Pawar, taking to his social media, wrote that the Bandh was called because people's emotions were running high following heinous crime.

"In the wake of the Badlapur sexual assault, a statewide public shutdown was called for on August 24, 2024. The horror the two minors had to face was very disgusting which evoked a strong response from the public. The Bandh was an attempt to draw the government's attention to this matter," the NCP (SP) chief wrote.

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He added, "This bandh was within the purview of the Fundamental Rights of the Constitution of India. However, the Hon. Bombay High Court has ruled that the bandh is unconstitutional. To file an appeal against the said decision before the Supreme Court is not possible. As the Indian Judiciary is a constitutional institution, it is requested to withdraw tomorrow's bandh while respecting the Constitution."

Earlier today, Pawar had confirmed that his party would be participating in the bandh and called for a peaceful demonstration. "I am confident that the people of Maharashtra will join the bandh," he had said per an ANI report.

According to the report, he also highlighted the need for greater awareness, saying, "These types of incidents are serious and need to be addressed. We must raise awareness among the public and law enforcement to prevent such occurrences."

"The government should manage this situation with care. It is not right to take action against those who are expressing their anger over the incident peacefully," he added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray called for a Maharashtra Bandh on Saturday to protest the Badlapur sexual assault. He stressed that the bandh is intended to oppose atrocities against women and has no political objective, the news agency stated.

"Many people are now concerned about the safety of girls in schools. This bandh is not just for the Maha Vikas Aghadi but for all citizens. The bandh will last until 2 pm, and we urge bus and train services to be suspended during this time. What is happening to the girls? What is the government doing about it? We are not against the Ladli Behan Yojana, but the government should prioritise the safety of women. We will not break the law, and shopkeepers should consider their own daughters and join the bandh," Thackeray said.

Thackeray also pointed out the lack of proper police action, adding, "If the police had acted appropriately, we wouldn't need to do this. People have the right to question the government, and when other avenues are closed, the court is the only option."