Sharad Pawar Condemns Badlapur Incident, Accuses State Government of Neglect

Sharad Pawar Criticizes Maharashtra Government’s Handling of Badlapur Sexual Assault Case, Calls Incident a Blot on State’s Reputation

NCP (Sharad Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed concern that the Badlapur incident, where two young kindergarten girls were allegedly sexually assaulted at a school, has tarnished Maharashtra’s reputation nationwide.

He criticized the state government, accusing it of neglecting its responsibility to ensure the safety of women. Pawar, who participated in a silent protest in Pune, said the government was displaying insensitivity by dismissing the opposition’s concern over the incident as mere political maneuvering.

“The Badlapur incident has severely damaged Maharashtra’s image across the country,” stated Pawar, leader of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), which is part of the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), alongside Congress and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT).

Pawar invoked the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was known for his swift justice against perpetrators of crimes against women, and lamented that such an incident could occur in Maharashtra.

The alleged assault of the two 4-year-old girls by a male attendant at a school in Badlapur, located in Thane district, sparked widespread protests in the town on Tuesday. Thousands of residents blocked roads and railway tracks and clashed with police in outrage over the incident.

In response, the MVA had called for a statewide ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ on August 24 to protest the crime. However, the Bombay High Court on Friday issued an order restraining political parties and individuals from proceeding with the bandh on that date or any future date in relation to the incident.

(With inputs from agency)