Protests were not politically motivated, says Pawar

Pune: Though NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday appealed to MVA partners to call off the proposed Maharashtra bandh on Saturday, the veteran politician said CM Eknath Shinde should not have seen people’s protest against the Badlapur incident “through a political lens”. “The Maharashtra bandh was called by the MVA to highlight the public sentiments against the increasing atrocities against women and children in the state. What occurred in Badlapur was extremely shocking.

It is also quite worrisome to know that the minor girl was sexually abused on the campus of an educational institution. After Badlapur, there have been incidents in other parts of the state too,” he said. “People of Maharashtra are extremely angry with such incidents.

Society needs to wake up to such incidents to avoid repeat of such cases. Everyone has to take responsibility to make society safer,” he said. Responding to the claim by Mahayuti members, including the chief minister, that the protest in Badlapur was “politically motivated”, Pawar said, “The chief minister should not have made such a statement.

There was no politics involved in the protest. It was pure anguish of the citizens. It is unfortunate that cases are registered against the peaceful protestors.

The govt, especially its home department, should have been more sensitive in handling the issue.” We also published the following articles recently Shinde should not have seen Badlapur protests through political lens: Pawa.