The Bombay High Court has stepped in to halt any calls for a Maharashtra Bandh, following plans by the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to protest a recent rape incident in Badlapur. The court's restraining order was issued on Friday, with Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya emphasising the need to adhere to the B G Deshmukh judgement, which governs such actions.
The MVA had planned a statewide bandh on August 24 to draw attention to the incident, but the court's decision has put a stop to these plans. In its ruling, the High Court specifically restrained any political party or individual from proceeding with the bandh.
The court also directed the state government to take necessary steps in line with the B G Deshmukh judgement to maintain order. This judgement, issued in 2004, sets out guidelines to prevent disruptions caused by strikes or bandhs.
The court's decision came just days after the MVA announced its plans to protest the rape of two minors in Badlapur, a case that has sparked widespread outrage.
The High Court's order has forced the MVA to reconsider its plans. Notices were issued to the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, instructing them to refrain from proceeding with the bandh. These notices are returnable on October 9, meaning the parties will need to respond to the court by that date.
Following the court's decision, the MVA leaders quickly responded. NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar announced that the bandh would be called off, expressing respect for the court's ruling.
In a tweet, Pawar stated that the bandh was initially called to draw attention to the Badlapur incident, and while it was within the purview of fundamental rights, the court's ruling deemed it unconstitutional. Due to the time constraints, an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court was not possible, leading Pawar to request the withdrawal of the bandh.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole also announced that the party would respect the court's order. However, he emphasised that Congress leaders would still protest, but in a different form.
Patole stated that Congress leaders would wear black bands over their mouths in a symbolic protest against the rising cases of sexual harassment against women and the Maharashtra government's failure to prevent such incidents. He also announced that he would participate in the protest in Thane district.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, while expressing disagreement with the High Court's order, also called off the bandh. Thackeray stated that the opposition leaders would instead protest with black bands around their mouths, a move intended to highlight their discontent without violating the court's ruling.
Earlier in the day, Thackeray had demanded the withdrawal of cases against those who protested in Badlapur, warning that the opposition would take to the streets if the demand was not met. He emphasised that the bandh was intended to protest "perversion" and urged people from all communities to join in.
Thackeray criticised the Eknath Shinde government’s handling of the Badlapur protest, pointing out that arrests were still taking place in connection with the incident. He warned that if the cases against the protesters were not withdrawn, the opposition would have no choice but to escalate their actions.
The backdrop to this legal and political drama is the incident in Badlapur, where a significant protest erupted on August 20 after thousands demonstrated against the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by a male attendant at a local school.
The protest turned violent, with stone-pelting at the railway station and other areas in Badlapur, leading to injuries to at least 25 police personnel. The police have since arrested 72 individuals in connection with the violence, and the accused remains in custody.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, responding to the bandh call, emphasised the government's commitment to maintaining normalcy and accused the opposition of politicising the tragedy. He asserted that the government would take all necessary actions against those involved in the Badlapur case.
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