Mumbai: The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has called for a “Maharashtra bandh” on August 24 to protest against the alleged sexual assault of two 4-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur of Thane district.
MVA allies – Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) headed by Sharad Pawar – took the decision after a meeting, said Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly. “We discussed the issue of women’s security in the state and the failure of the BJP-led Mahayuti government on all fronts,” he said.
Badlapur sexual assault case
The two girl students of the kindergarten were allegedly sexually abused by the school sweeper on August 12 and 13. Police on August 17 arrested the accused. As per the complaint, he abused the girls in the washroom of the school. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and protests across Badlapur town of Thane.
Thousands of protesters on Tuesday blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station and stormed the school building over the incident. The Opposition has alleged that the parents of the girls were made to wait for 11 hours at Badlapur police station before the FIR was registered. The Bombay High Court on Thursday expressed outrage over the police’s handling of the case, while describing the crime as “absolutely shocking and heinous”. The HC pulled up the local police for the delay in the registration of the FIR and also the school authorities who failed to report the crime to the police promptly.
Maharashtra Bandh on August 24: What’s open and what’s closed
Will schools and colleges be closed on August 24?
The government hasn’t issued any notification about closure of schools and colleges. So educational institutions will remain open on August 24.
Will metro, public transport services remain operational
Buses and metros are expected to run as usual as the Maharashtra government has not extended its support to the bandh called by the Opposition parties.
Hospitals to be closed?
There is no information available on the closure of OPDs and hospitals on August 24. Therefore, they are expected to function as usual during Maharashtra Bandh.