The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has announced a day-long ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ on Saturday (August 24) in response to the alleged sexual assault of two young girls at a school in Badlapur, Thane district. The decision was taken during a meeting in Mumbai attended by key MVA allies, including the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-headed NCP (SP).
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar confirmed that all MVA allies would participate in the bandh, marking a united front against the incident that has sparked widespread outrage across the state.
The call for the bandh comes after the arrest of a school attendant on August 17, who is accused of sexually abusing two kindergarten students in the school’s toilet. The case has intensified public anger, with many demanding swift justice for the victims.
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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut expressed the growing discontent in Maharashtra, stating that FIRs have been filed against protesters, and the MVA’s bandh is a direct response to the Badlapur incident.
Despite the bandh, there has been no official announcement from the Maharashtra government regarding the closure of schools, colleges, buses, or metros on August 24. Educational institutions are expected to operate as usual, and public transport services, including buses and metros, are likely to run without disruption.
Additionally, banks will be closed on August 24, but this is due to the fourth Saturday of the month rather than the bandh. The Maharashtra Bandh follows a nation-wide Bharat Bandh observed on August 21, in response to a Supreme Court ruling on Scheduled Castes (SCs) sub-classifications for targeted reservations.
