BANDH IS OFF

Uddhav questioned whether the people of India had lost the right to stage protests, even though country's Independence was won with such public agitation

• MVA to only hold silent sit-in protests with flags

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has called off the statewide bandh it had proposed to stage on Saturday, to protest against the series of atrocities against women and the recent incident at the Badlapur school. However, the Bombay High Court on Friday issued a restraining order against any political party or individual from calling for a bandh, so the MVA had to retract its stand. Now, the opposition alliance plans to hold silent sit-in protests across the state, with participants holding black flags and wearing black bands, on Saturday.

Reacting to the court decision, former chief minister and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav. Thackeray said, though the order was not acceptable to the MVA, they would respect it. The decision to call off the bandh was announced by the MVA allies - Congress state chief Nana Patole, NCP - SCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena UBT President Uddhav Thackeray - late on Friday evening.