Maha Vikash Aghadi (MVA) ally, Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray on Friday issued a clarion call to the people asking them to participate in Saturday’s Maharashtra Bandh (shutdown) wholeheartedly to protest against ‘perverse mentality’ in the state, here.

He said that the shutdown will commence from Saturday morning and will be on till 2 p.m., while all essential services shall be exempt, urged for stopping local trains and bus services during half-day ‘bandh’, called by the combined Opposition including Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), plus other allies.

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“Tomorrow’s ‘bandh’ is not political. There’s a fear in the minds of the people not only in Maharashtra but across India. The masses are concerned about the safety and security of their little girls, daughters, women who go to schools, colleges, hospitals, offices and other places. The ‘bandh’ is to express their sentiments against the perversity,” said Thackeray.

He said that in the past 10 days, there have been many such incidents of atrocities against the womenfolk, almost daily even in Maharashtra, that have shocked the people and raises serious concerns on the safety of the women in the minds of all, including their families.

“As the heads of the family, the fathers or brothers can keep their businesses, offices or other establishments close to register their anger against the prevailing situation. I humbly call upon all the people to voluntarily join the ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ tomorrow,” appealed Thackeray.

On restricting the time limit from morning to 2 p.m. (around 8 hours), Thackeray said it was on account of the preparations for the upcoming festivals of Janmashthami and Dahi Handi (August 27-28), followed by Ganeshotsav, and to ensure that people are not inconvenienced by the shutdown.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the ‘bandh’ would be successful as there is deep angst among the people, and “if the government had given a free hand to the police to handle crimes”, the need for a shutdown would not have arisen.

The ruling MahaYuti government on Thursday held a brainstorming session to discuss the MVA bandh call and the measures to ensure the situation remains under control.

Flaying the Opposition’s ‘bandh’ plans, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane accused the MVA of attempting to spread lawlessness through the shutdown, while activist-lawyer Gunratan Sadavarte has demanded the arrest of Thackeray and NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar for the illegal bandh action.