'I Tied Rakhi to CM, Was Detained 2 Days Later for Badlapur Molestation Protest'

A highly politicised issue, Badlapur locals are facing repercussions of protests against molestation of two minors.

"Two days before the protests, the chief minister had come to Badlapur. I was one of the first women here to get the money under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, so I wanted to thank him as his sister by tying Rakhi. Some nagarsevaks here made it happen," said Laxmi Gadhade, 30, a mother of two from Maharashtra's Badlapur.

On Gadhade's social media, she can be seen in a picture with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on 18 August. In another video, she was seen advocating for the Ladki Bahin Yojana, the state government's direct cash transfer scheme for women that guarantees them Rs 1,500 per month.

A beautician who worked at a salon until three months ago, Gadhade was also among hundreds of women who took part in protests at the Badlapur railway station on 20 August over two four-year-old girls being molested by a janitor in a private school.

"The incident had taken place before the chief minister came here but hardly many people knew about it, the issue had not gone so big in the media by then," Gadhade said.

She never imagined that what she thought was a necessary demonstration to stress against the alleged lapses by the police on handling the case would turn out into a violent altercation and eventually her facing a legal case.

Two four-year-old minors were allegedly molested in a school by 23-year-old Akshay Shinde who worked there as a janitor between 7 August and 13 August. On 20 August, the protests against the incident turned violent, teargas shells were fired, and lathi-charge was conducted, and protesters blocked railway tracks at the Badlapur station and pelted stones at the police.

While Akshay Shinde was killed in an encounter in September, scores of protesters who claim to have not resorted to any violence are facing cases and have received no help from the local leaders and representatives.

"I don't understand why I was slapped with cases. I didn't pick up a stone or a stick. Did we commit a crime in a democracy by joining a protest? And they have slapped sections which are so stringent," Gadhade said.

An issue forgotten by the media is driving the politics in Murbad, with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) women's wing leader Sangeeta Chendwankar, who was credited with assisting the families in getting the first FIR registered, now contesting the Assembly election. But the candidates of the two big alliances have not openly spoken about anything related to the case in their campaigns so far.

So, how much does the issue play on the minds of those who took part in the protests? Will the encounter impact voting? In this report, protesters narrate their ordeal, the events of 20 August, and their repercussions.

'Many of Us Had No Political Affiliations. For Us, It Was a Cause'

Coming on the heels of the RG Kar case in Kolkata, the claims of the parents having to struggle for 12 hours in filing the FIR, the alleged lack of immediate action by the school authorities, and the links of some of the school's trustees with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led to protesters taking to demonstrations outside the school, with some also demanding immediate death sentence for Akshay Shinde and refusing to budge from the spot till he is hanged.

Sohal Khare, a 37-year-old businessman, was one of the first 22 people to be arrested by the police on 20 August.

"Those who have cases filed against them have to go for haziri (attendance to the police to ensure their presence in the city limits) every Sunday. Most people who are facing cases are from normal, non-political families," Khare said.

"I was among the first 22 people who was arrested. Among us, nobody knew each other. I had never met them before. We all first spoke to each other at the police station. All of us are well educated and have no connections with any political party," he said.

While the 'Badlapur Bandh' was called by MNS workers and several other residents' bodies, what led to the protests flaring beyond expectation was the mouth publicity and proximity to the local train station.

"That morning I received a Whatsapp forward on our housing society group about the protests. I am a mother of two little children and I thought I should join. I just felt strongly about seeking justice for those two little girls," Gadhade said.

However, the police and the local ruling party leaders have questioned how peaceful protests by citizens could have turned violent, leading to blocking of railway tracks for over eight hours.

"The protests would not have flared as much but they fired tear gas shells and lathi-charged at peaceful protesters when they were demonstrating outside the school. That is when many lost their temper and went to block the tracks," Khare claimed.

Several protesters we spoke to explained how there were several groups that sought different things in the protests – some wanted to show solidarity with the girls, some wanted to protest against the alleged lapses by the police, and some who were adamant on the demand of Akshay Shinde being hanged immediately.

"There was one woman with us who said she was there for her three-month-old daughter. There was another woman who was en route to work but when she saw the protests, she bunked that day and stayed for the demonstrations because she felt so strongly. We did not have to do anything with even those who organised the protests. So many like me just received forwards on WhatsApp and we joined," Gadhade said.

"I am not saying there weren't people there with different mentalities. Whenever we saw someone pick up a stone or brandish a stick, we told them to throw it away," she said.

Also Read

'Only an Election Issue': Dharavi Reporters Tell Facts of Redevelopment Politics

'Politicians Were First in Line to Take Credit, Couldn't Care Less for Us'

Among the first 22 people that were arrested, most remained imprisoned for 10-12 days, including Khare.

The police subsequently have arrested over 300 people by identifying them from CCTV visuals and videos available on social media. All are out on bail, with most having anticipatory bail applications filed pro bono by some lawyers.

However, what also enraged several protesters was MLA Kisan Kathure's statement that the protesters were "brought from outside and were politically motivated."

"The local MLA gave a byte to the media saying all those who were on railway tracks were all outsiders. As a protester, should I have brandished my Aadhaar card to make it clear that I am from Badlapur and hence I am justified in protesting? Little girls were wronged, so it doesn't matter if the protesters are from Badlapur or from Ambernath or from anywhere in India, we all had the right to be enraged," Khare said.

"They just wanted to push the narrative that we were from some Opposition party. I am not and I have not taken a single rupee to join the demonstration. The entire issue was later made political. We are common people, we will get in trouble if we take any names," said Pranali (name changed to protect identity), one of the residents who took part in the protests.

While Pranali herself is not facing any case, her close friend is.

'We Rotted in Jail for 10 Days, School Trustees Absconding for 2 Months'

Another major aspects of the case that bothers most protesters is that several of them had to be imprisoned for days while the the two trustees of the school who were named in the POCSO FIR, Udya Kotwal and Tushar Apte, and principal Archana Athavale remained absconding for at least two months after they were charged.

The Quint had reported in August how at least two trustees of the school had affliliations to the BJP, with one of them also having contested local body elections in the past.

The affliations were also played up by Opposition parties, including former CM Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare, and Maharashtra Leader of Opposition (LoP) Vijay Wadettiwar.

The subsequent developments have many protesters questioning why no politician stood up for them.

"We rotted in jail for 10-12 days. The trustees who were absconding for two months got bail within two days of their arrest," Khare pointed out.

"They were very quick to file cases against thousand protesters and arreste hundreds. How were they not able to find the trustees of the school and the principal who were absconding for two months? No police or judicial custody for them beyond that? How come it is always the common man who has to rot in jail for longer?" Pranali questioned. 

Also Read

'Begged for Action for 2 Years': Shadow of Porsche Case on Pune's Pubs & Polls

Can Akshay Shinde's Encounter Sway Votes?

Following Akshay Shinde's encounter, local leaders took to celebrations in Murbad. Many party workers and corporators distributed sweets in their localities and burst crackers.

A day after the encounter, hoardings lauding the state's depty CM and home minister Devendra Fadnavis came up in Thane and Borivali with the words 'Badla Pura' (revenge complete) written in Devnagri, with him holding a gun. The BJP had later distanced itself from the posters and said that the party had not put up any such posters in the city.

CM Shinde's Shiv Sena, meanwhile, also put up posters at some locations saying 'Ek Nath Ek Nyay' (one chief, one justice). A former Sena corporator also reportedly published an advertisement in a local Marathi newspaper congratulating the CM for 'swift justice'.

The one party that's playing up the politics around the issue ahead of the elections is Raj Thackeray's MNS.

"You know Sangeeta Tai, she was the one who unearthed the whole Badlapur issue with the two little girls. Nobody else realised what was happening. This one woman revealed everything, made sure the people are made aware of it, and shook Maharashtra's administration. That's precisely why I have given her the ticket this time as a reward for her efforts," party chief Raj Thackeray said as he addressed his first rally of the election campaign in Badlapur on 4 November.

Chendwankar had also led a group of protesters on 20 August and is being considered as one of the key challengers to sitting BJP MLA Kathore and Subhash Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCPSP). her campaign pages on social media are calling her 'Badlapurchi Vaghin' (Tigress of Badlapur), and crediting her with 'uncovering corruption'.

Speaking to The Quint after a rally in Murbad, Chendwankar said that she too has been slapped with cases for the protests on 20 August.

"These people are in power. They don't want to do anything related to the case anymore. Why will they speak up for anyone once the momentary politics over the matter has died down?" she said.

"First, they don't want to talk about the encounter because that falls outside the purview of law and order and they don't want to be seen as a government that's breaking it. But they know what psychological effect a move like that can have and what it can gain for them. They know the Opposition will go after the police force too, demand their suspension, etc. They know that they have messes up the investigation and they don't want people to be reminded of that. So, they are quiet about it," Chendwankar said.

Reflecting upon the political mileage that the Mahayuti may receive from Akshay Shinde's encounter, Chendwankar said she has a slightly different stance on it from the party line.

"As much as I support the encounter, I don't support what happened after that. The party line is a different issue. We also distributed sweets and celebrated. But then they played politics on the accused's dead body. They said things like 'we will not allow him to be cremated in Badlapur'. No matter his crime, we felt he has been punished. What his parents had to go through with his body is also very unfortunate. This country has law and order, it even gave someone like Ajmal Kasab a dignified death," she said.

'Netas Have No Right to Take Credit for Anything'

Akshay Shinde's encounter on 23 September, a development problematic for the state's law and order precedent, has been welcomed by most protesters while also objecting to leaders taking 'credit for delivering justice.'

"Our local corporator called me to congratulate when the encounter happened. They distributed sweets, and burt firecrackers. They said I was brave to have joined the protests. I told them off saying they were not brave enough to fight for us when we were being arrested," Laxmi said.

Priyesh Jadhav, who ensured bails for accused protesters pro bono said: "There were over 300 people arrested in the case. The government needs to withdraw cases against them. What was their fault? They were pointing out the administration's shortcomings when it came to delay in filing the FIR. If the police had taken appropriate action, the protest would not have happened."

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Thane leader from the ruling alliance said: "The local leaders did for the protsters as much as they could. It was made sure that the police stop the crackdown and no more citizens are arrested for the protests. The local leaders are to be credited for that. But eventually, they blocked railway tracks all day and even the police was pelted stones at. Legally, the politicians cannot do anything more."

However, Khare questioned what any party has to lose politically by standing up for them.

"They have no right to take credit for anything, be the investigation or the encounter. They were first in line to take credit, they distributed sweets, burst crackers. But the protesters that ensured outrage against the crime, those who protested on tracks, those of who are now facing criminal charges and were jailed, none of these leaders came to ask us if we needed help," he said.

Also Read

'Doubt if Lawrence-Salman Enmity Led to My Father's Murder': Baba Siddique's Son