No Bandh Tomorrow: MVA withdraws Maharashtra bandh call after high court ruling

Mumbai, August 23, 2024: The Bombay High Court on Friday has restrained any political party or person in Maharashtra from calling for Maharashtra bandh on August 24.

In an important last-minute development, the Bombay High Court on Friday restrained any political party or person from calling for or participating in Maharashtra Bandh. Consequently, the no political parties, including MVA, can call for or participate in Maharashtra bandh on Saturday. The Bombay High Court issued a notice to all the political parties and asked them not to call any bandh on Saturday. The court also instructed the entire state machinery to take legal action against anyone who participates in the bandh.

“We are restraining any political party or individual from proceeding with call for bandh. We will also direct the State to take all steps in terms of B G Deshmukh judgment,” said Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya.

The HC issued notices to the Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT and Sharad Pawar-NCP, and restrained them from proceeding with the call for bandh on Saturday or on any other subsequent day. The notices are made returnable on October 9.

MVA Leaders’ Reactions

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday appealed for the withdrawal of Saturday’s Maharashtra bandh in view of a Bombay high court ruling.

“In the wake of the Badlapur incident, a statewide public shutdown was called for tomorrow…This was an attempt to draw the government’s attention to this matter,” Pawar posted on X in Marathi.

बदलापूर घटनेच्या पार्श्वभूमीवर उद्या दि. २४ ऑगस्ट २०२४ रोजी राज्यव्यापी सार्वजनिक बंदचे आवाहन करण्यात आले होते. त्या दोन अजाण बालिकांवर झालेला अत्याचार हा अतिशय घृणास्पद होता. परिणामी समाजातील सर्व स्तरांतून याबाबतीत तीव्र लोकभावना उमटल्या. या बाबीकडे सरकारचे लक्ष वेधण्याचा हा…

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) August 23, 2024

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the parties will respect the court’s order. “Honouring Bombay High Court judgement, all Congress leaders will protest in all Maharashtra district headquarters with black bands on their face/mouth from 11 AM to 12 noon against the cases of sexual harassment against women and failure of Maharashtra govt to prevent that. I will be part of the protest in Thane district,” said Patole.

‘Protest against perversion’

Earlier during the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had demanded the withdrawal of cases against those who protested in Badlapur over the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls, warning that the opposition would take to the streets if this demand is not met.

Speaking to the media, Thackeray emphasized that the August 24 ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ called by the opposition bloc is aimed at protesting against “perversion” and urging people from all communities to join in.

Thackeray said the bandh would represent the voices of the state’s citizens. He criticised the Eknath Shinde government’s handling of the Badlapur protest, stating, “Arrests are still taking place in Badlapur. The cases against the protesters must be withdrawn or else we have to hit the streets.”

Badlapur protest

A significant protest had erupted in Badlapur town in Thane district on August 20 after thousands demonstrated and blocked railway tracks against the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by a male attendant at a local school. The protest led to the injury of at least 25 police personnel due to stone-pelting at the railway station and other areas in Badlapur.

Police have arrested 72 individuals related to the violence during the protest. The accused, arrested on August 17, remains in police custody until August 26.

In response to the bandh call, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had emphasised the government’s commitment to maintaining normalcy and functionality. He also accused the opposition of politicising the tragedy and asserted that the government would take necessary actions against the accused in the Badlapur case.