Mumbai, Aug 20 (PTI) Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Girish Mahajan on Tuesday justified police action against protesters who blocked rail tracks at Badlapur station in Thane district for hours over alleged sexual assault on two minor girls at a local school by a sweeper, and accused the opposition of politicising a crime of serious nature.
As train services on the Central Railway section hit by the agitation resumed in the evening after 10 hours, Mahajan maintained the state government had accepted most of the demands made by protesters, but it was not possible to accede to their request for public execution of the alleged perpetrator.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve of the Shiv Sena (UBT) hit out at the Mahayuti government and police over the sexual assault incident at the school and its handling of the subsequent protest at Badlapur station, and announced his party will launch a state-wide agitation against the ruling coalition from Wednesday.
Mahajan described certain protesters as “daily wage” workers, while Danve characterised the agitation as a spontaneous manifestation of public outrage over the alleged sexual assault on two four-year-old girls at a prominent school in Badlapur last week.
The railway station at Badlapur turned into the site of a massive protest on Tuesday as agitators, including parents and local residents, pelted stones at police personnel and vandalised the school building over the sexual assault incident. Hours later, police cane-charged the protesters to disperse them and clear the tracks for train movement.
BJP MLA Kisan Kathore claimed some of the protesters came from outside Badlapur and that the agitation was pre-planned.
Speaking to reporters in the evening, Mahajan said, “The government addressed most of the demands made by protesters. However, fulfilling their request for public execution of the alleged perpetrator was not possible. It is noteworthy that certain protesters, through their banners, communicated a preference for justice and protection for their daughters instead of getting financial assistance under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.” He said some locals involved in printing business informed them that such banners were already being made which shows a section of protesters was looking for political gains.
The BJP minister reached Badlapur station at around 2 pm and tried to pacify the angry protesters and requested them several times to vacate the rail tracks.
“Some protesters were like they were on a daily wage. Their faces were shown on camera, and we will find out more about them. It was shameful that some people even politicised such a heinous crime for their own gains,” said the minister.
Supporting the cane-charge by cops to disperse the agitators, Mahajan noted, “The protest was going on for nearly 10 hours. Police had to use force to disperse the crowd, but one must also see how many policemen were injured. I think the opposition is scared because of the positive response to the Ladki Bahin scheme. Out of desperation, they indulged in shameful act of politicising a crime like sexual attack.” The minister stressed the government has also taken action against the school management which allegedly tried to downplay the incident.
Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Danve also visited Badlapur station and interacted with the protesters.
Talking to reporters, the opposition MLC lashed out at the local police for not taking prompt action in the sexual assault case.
“Police are solely responsible for such a protest because they did not take action against the perpetrator when the parents of the girls approached them to complain. The outrage among people was so intense that they protested at Badlapur station, but it was not politically motivated,” Danve asserted.
“This government has no legitimate right to stay in office. We are going to hold a state-wide protest across the state starting tomorrow (August 21),” declared the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
Danve defended the act of some people holding banners related to the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme at the protest site.
“What is wrong with people holding such banners? When girls faced sexual assault, people expressed their outrage and anguish. Police did not register a complaint for nearly 13 hours, so why did they use force against people? There was no need to cane-charge the crowd,” he maintained.
Referring to the protest and subsequent police cane-charge, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange said it seems deputy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis doesn’t want peace in the state.
Speaking to reporters in Jalna in central Maharashtra, Jarange said what happened with the schoolgirls was shameful and against humanity.
“The law and order has been deliberately disturbed. They don’t want peace. Politics is altogether a different game, but such incidents with kids are shameful,” averred the activist. PTI ND AW RSY
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