After the Bombay High Court took a stringent view of the Maharashtra Bandh call given by the Opposition parties, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance has decided to call off their strike call for August 24. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday voiced his disagreement with a Bombay High Court order that restrains political parties from calling a bandh. However, he confirmed that the opposition bloc MVA has withdrawn its planned shutdown in Maharashtra on Saturday, which was in response to a sexual abuse case in a school.

During a press conference, Thackeray announced that while the MVA has called off the August 24 bandh following the High Court’s order, leaders and workers from opposition parties will still protest against the Mahayuti government by wearing black bands over their mouths across the state. The former Chief Minister, whose party is a key member of the MVA, stated that he will also participate in the protest. “We don’t agree with the High Court order on bandh,” Thackeray maintained. 

Earlier in the day, the HC restrained political parties or individuals from proceeding with a Maharashtra bandh over the sexual assault incident, on August 24 or any future date, saying such a protest will paralyse normal life. 

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said if political parties and individuals were not restrained from proceeding with the call for bandh on Saturday, huge losses, not only in terms of economy and business but also essential services and basic amenities, including health services will occur, which needs to be prevented. 

The MVA alliance had called for a shutdown across the state on August 24 to protest against the alleged sexual assault of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur in Thane district. The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).