“There is not a day in Maharashtra when there is no news of atrocities against women … The government should take this incident seriously. The government is saying that the opposition is doing politics, calling it politics shows how insensitive the government is,” the NCP (SP) chief said.
Pawar, who participated in a silent protest in Pune alongside other leaders from the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), condemned the government’s response to the incident. He argued that dismissing the opposition’s outrage as political maneuvering is indicative of the government’s insensitivity.
“The Badlapur incident has hit the image of Maharashtra in the country,” Pawar said.
“The incident that happened in Badlapur is a serious issue. This incident is shocking; therefore, reactions are coming from various places,” Pawar had told newsagency ANI on Friday.
In response to the crime, the MVA had planned a statewide ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ on August 24 to protest against the incident. Despite the Bombany high court’s decision banning the protest, Pawar and other MVA leaders, wore black armbands, and gathered in Pune to demand justice.
In Badlapur, Thane district, where a male attendant allegedly sexually assaulted two 4-year-old girls at a local school. This act sparked widespread outrage, leading to massive protests in the town on Tuesday. Thousands of people took to the streets, blocking roads and railway tracks, and clashing with the police in a show of anger and frustration.