Maharashtra Govt sees polls and politics in outrage over Badlapur school sex assault

Less than 24 hours after the protests, Shinde said on Wednesday, “I believe yesterday’s protest was politically motivated. Normally, whenever there is a protest the locals are involved. But yesterday people from outside came in vehicles. Despite the reassurance of strong action by our minister Girish Mahajan, they refused to leave the tracks. It is evident that their motive was to defame the Government.”

Even if one were to assume that Shinde was stating plain facts, the larger question related to the systemic lapses in the private school in Thane district and policing cannot be brushed aside. Why was a cleaner whose credentials are suspect recruited? Why was a male cleaner deployed to take school children to the washroom? Equally serious are the revelations about the delay on the part of the police in registering a case.

The ruling and the Opposition parties are engaged in a war of words to score brownie points. With Assembly polls expected in November, the Opposition has got another stick to beat the Government with and the ruling combine is countering the allegations in earnest.

Crime against children rising

The Economic Survey 2023-24, presented by the Maharashtra Government in the monsoon session of the legislature, records that crime against children is rising.

The number of child rape cases registered in 2023-24 was 4,449. It was 3,458 in 2021-2022 and 4,182 in 2022-23). The cases of kidnapping and abduction stood at 9,555 in 2021-22, 1,1571 in 2022-23 and 12,564 in 2023-24. However, incidents of murder declined from 146 in 2021-22 and 124 in 2022-23 to 84 in 2023-24.

While infanticide cases fell to six in 2023-24 from 25 in 2022-23, the figure for 2021-22 was five. When it comes to foeticide, the figures were six in 2021-22, 17 in 2022-23 and four in 2023-24.

However, the total cases of crimes against children stood at 17,232 in 2021-22, 20,762 in 2022-23 and 21,802 in 2023-24.

Despite a series of measures undertaken by successive governments, crime against children continues to rise. And the public has displayed its anger through the spontaneous protests. It also awakened the system, which might otherwise have treated the Badlapur incident as just another incident of crime against children.

The war of words

The Mahayuti constituents—the Shiv Sena, the BJP and the NCP—believe the protests were orchestrated by the Opposition, partly to overshadow the success of the Mukhyamantri Maji Ladli Bahin Yojna, which was launched on August 17. Under the scheme, women aged 18-65 with annual household income below Rs 2.5 lakh get Rs 1,500 every month.

“We can understand the anger against the assault on girls. But then why were posters against Ladli Bahin Yojna used during the protests,” a BJP functionary said requesting anonymity. “It clearly shows the Opposition used the protests to malign the government and its flagship scheme.”

If the Opposition has managed to mobilise people against the administration’s failure, it certainly does not augur well for the Shinde government.

It is no secret that Shinde has always had the final say in the matters of Thane district, including those related to the police department, even though it comes under Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as he holds the home portfolio.

Fadnavis has set up a Special Investigation Team led by IG rank IPS officer Arti Singh to inquire into the sexual abuse incident and appointed Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor. The case will be fast-tracked.

Despite the angry crowd, BJP minister Girish Mahajan visited the place and spoke to people about the Government’s actions. Three police officers were suspended over the lapses.

Opposition politicians mentioned the flagship scheme for women in their attacks on the Government. Leader of the Opposition Vijay Waddetiwar said that instead of doling out Rs 1,500 to women under the Ladli Bahin Yojana, the Government should ensure their security.

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule said, “If protesting against crime against children is a crime, we will continue to do so. Let them arrest us. But we will not stop until the crime stops.”

While in the Opposition in 2013, the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena vehemently protested against the Shakti Mill gang rape. They sought the resignation of then home minister R R Patil and chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Now the Congress, NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT)—which make up the Maha Vikas Aghadi—have joined hands demanding Shinde and Fadnavis quit over the law-and-order lapses.

After the success in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the Opposition bloc has become more aggressive, seeing a clear opportunity to unseat the Mahayuti in the coming Assembly elections.