Maharashtra Bandh: MVA withdraws call after Bombay HC says strike ‘may cripple life’

The Maha Vikas Aghadi has withdrawn its call for a Maharashtra bandh on Saturday following a Bombay High Court ruling. Opposition leaders and workers in the coastal state will now hold peaceful demonstrations and tie black bands around their mouth to protest against the Badlapur school sexual abuse case. 

“We have called off August 24 Maharashtra bandh but opposition leaders will protest with black bands around their mouth. We don’t agree with the Bombay High Court order on bandh,” confirmed Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

The opposition MVA, which consists of the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), had called for a state-wide shutdown on Saturday to protest against the alleged sexual assault on two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur in Thane district. 

The Bombay High Court however restrained political parties or individuals from proceeding with a strike on August 24 or any future date, saying such a protest will paralyse normal life.

"Until further orders all concerned are restrained from proceeding with the call for bandh on August 24 and also on any other further date," the HC said. "We are, prima facie, convinced that the call given by the political parties is a call to observe bandh tomorrow in the entire state of Maharashtra, which means a call for cessation of all kinds of activities which will result in the life of the state coming to a halt, that may entail heavy loss to industrial activities, business activities, economic activities and other such activities," the HC said.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders and workers will protest against the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government with black flags and black band tied around their mouth at different locations in the state. Earlier in the day, the HC restrained political parties and individuals from proceeding with the Maharashtra bandh scheduled for August 24 or on any future date.

"Respecting the court's view, we will peacefully protest against the government between 11 am and noon with black flags and black bands tied around our mouth," Patole said.

He said the decision was taken after consulting NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said the Maharashtra government shall take all necessary steps to prevent a bandh.

(With inputs from agencies)