Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: Uddhav Thackeray Attacks CM Eknath Shinde, Says ‘Those Who Feel There Is Politics Behind Protest Are Abnormal’

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticized Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday, accusing him of saying that the political response to the Badlapur protest, which addresses the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls, is either a sign of abnormality or protectors of the culprits.

Thackeray's comments were in response to Chief Minister Shinde's assertion that the Badlapur protest, concerning the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls, was driven by political motives and that many of the demonstrators were from outside the area.

Also Read| Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: CM Eknath Shinde Claims Protest Is Politically Motivated.

He said there is no political motive behind the bandh called by the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on August 24. The bandh is aimed at creating awareness that the security of women should be a priority and also awakening the government.

Also Read| Maharashtra Bandh on August 24: MVA Calls for Statewide Shutdown on Saturday to Protest Badlapur Assault Case.

A massive protest erupted in Badlapur, Thane district, on Tuesday, as thousands took to the streets and railway tracks to demonstrate against the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by a male attendant at a local school. The unrest resulted in injuries to at least 25 police personnel due to stone-pelting at the railway station and other areas of Badlapur. In response to the violence, police have arrested 72 individuals.