Badlapur horror: Uddhav Thackeray slams CM, raises concerns over women’s safety

Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on CM Eknath Shinde over the Badlapur horror, accusing him of ‘crooked mentality and insensitivity’ to peoples’ emotions, here on Thursday.Speaking to the media, Thackeray said that such incidents of atrocities against women are increasing in the state, “keeping quiet will no longer help” as the priority is to ensure the safety and security of our mothers, sisters and daughters.“This is not politicking…The entire state is perturbed by the Badlapur rapes. Those who term it as ‘politicising’ are of crooked mentality. This is the virus of a sick mentality and we must fight it. If the government is unable to protect the womenfolk, then we shall have to do it ourselves,” said Thackeray.Referring to CM Shinde as ‘an unconstitutional and inept CM’, Thackeray said that using public money, he has introduced the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme with the sole intention of catching votes.“He (CM) thinks that if he gives the women some money (Rs 1,500/month) every month, the womenfolk will vote for the MahaYuti government…He should not be under such an impression, as the women first want security… When they feel safe, such schemes can be brought,” said Thackeray sharply.Referring to the police baton charge and teargas shells burst on the protesters in Badlapur on Tuesday, the SS (UBT) chief said it was “a display of peoples’ angst and how could the police target them like this”.“Don’t the people have a right to protest and register their anger? One of the Badlapur victims’ mother is pregnant, needed medicines, yet she was made to sit for some 12 hours in the police station and is now admitted to a hospital. Those who joined the protest are being prosecuted now,” Thackeray pointed out.He questioned why those who find the public protest as ‘political’ have yet to take action against who pressured the police in the matter, the role of the others, including the police commissioner, in the delays in taking action, all of which must be probed.Dwelling on the CM’s claim that a rapist was hanged in two months, Thackeray asked him to identify the person and even demanded a SIT to probe CM Shinde’s contentions — which evoked a strong backlash — as he’s playing treachery with the public sentiments.He warned that the CM must realise after he loses his post, he will have to go and live among the same people in Thane (CM Shinde’s home district and town), where the women will question him about all this.“He goes around tying rakhs and clicking photos, but where was he on the night of Raksha Bandhan? What about ensuring the safety and security of all his sisters?” asked Thackeray.He also trained guns on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, seeking his whereabouts and wondering why he was not owning up the responsibility for anything.“Fadnavis recently said that the Opposition wants his resignation even if a dog is killed in an accident… Now, what do you have to say,” questioned Thackeray.The SS (UBT) chief said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Maharashtra Bandh (shutdown) on August 24 is to highlight all these concerns and urged the people to take part in a big way.To a query, Thackeray said that he has spoken with the victims’ families and would go to meet them in Badlapur later as he did not want to trouble them given their current mental trauma after the incident.–IANSqn/dpb