The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has called for a day-long ‘Maharashtra bandh’ on August 24 to protest against the alleged sexual assault on two young girls at a school in Badlapur of Thane district. Various MVA allies – Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) headed by Sharad Pawar – took the decision after a meeting in Mumbai.
State leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said all MVA allies will participate in the bandh on August 24.
In the meantime, the Police on August 17 arrested an attendant at the school for sexually abusing two girl students of the kindergarten at a school in Badlapur. According to the complaint, he abused the girls in the toilet of the school, an official said.
Reacting to the latest developments, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that the people in Maharashtra are upset, and FIRs have been filed against the protesters. He added that the MVA will on August 24 call for a Maharashtra Bandh in response to the Badlapur incident."
Maharashtra Bandh: Will schools and colleges be closed
As the Maharashtra government has not notified anything about the school closures, so they will operate as usual and will not remain shut. However, other educational institutions that usually close on Saturdays will remain shut.
Maharashtra Bandh: Will buses, metros operate?
Even as the Opposition has called for Maharashtra Bandh, but the state government has not supported it and has not issued any notification about closure of buses and metros. Therefore, buses and metros are expected to run as usual in Mumbai and elsewhere.
Are banks closed on August 24?
As per the RBI bank holiday guidelines, banks will remain shut this Saturday, August 24, as it is the fourth Saturday of the month. However, banks are not closed due to Maharashtra Bandh.
Bharat Bandh observed on August 21
A nation-wide Bharat Bandh was observed on August 21 by more than 20 organisations in response to a Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court on August 1 ruled that states have the constitutional authority to create sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes (SCs), a diverse group, to provide targeted reservations for more socially and educationally disadvantaged castes.
