Bombay HC MUMBAI: The MVA on Friday called off its Saturday's statewide bandh over the Badlapur sexual abuse case after the Bombay high court restrained all parties concerned from proceeding with the general strike. The MVA decided that all its politicians would wear black badges and resort to a sit-in strike across the state. NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar was the first to issue a statement withdrawing the bandh after the high court order.
He was followed by Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and MPCC president Nana Patole . Pawar plans to participate in a protest near the Ambedkar statue in Pune while Thackeray said he would join party workers at Shiv Sena Bhavan at 11 am. Patole plans to take part in a proest in Thane, CM Eknath Shinde's turf.
Thackeray said the high court order was unexpected. "We never expected that the high court would pass the order with such speed. It was not an agitation; we were protesting the criminal assault on schoolgirls.
Now, it will be the responsibility of the petitioners to ensure such incidents do not take place," he said. Thackeray made it clear that his party did not agree with the high court order. "We do not accept the high court order but we are following it since we have respect for the judiciary.
We feel that the high court should act with the same speed and punish the guilty on top priority," he said. Thackeray said the MVA was not withdrawing the agitation. "I will wear a black badge, and MVA workers across the state will join at divisional and tehsil headquarters across the state," he said.
Thackeray said it was the right of citizens to resort to protests and agitations. He saud India secured freedom after a prolonged agitation and strike against the foreign power. "Since the high court ordere has come at short notice, we have little scope to approach the Supreme Court.
I had a discussion on the high court order with Sharad Pawar and Nana Patole. We will meet soon to decide the future course of action," he said. Patole said MVA workers would resort to a silent protest.
"I will sit in Thane along with MVA activists," Patole said. Pawar said in view of the court order, the total bandh was called off. "The bandh was within the framework of the Constitution.
However, the high court called it unconstitutional. There is no scope for moving the Supreme Court immediately. Since the Indian judiciary is a constitutional organisation, we respect it.
Therefore, we have decided to call off the bandh," he said..
