Nashik Oct 10: The deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Chhagan Bhujbal, said that the state government had asked the central government to confiscate the passport of underworld don Chhota Rajan through the Indian High Commission in Bangkok, to facilitate his deportation to Mumbai for prosecution.Talking to reporters, Bhujbal said that the Maharashtra government was sincere about prosecuting Rajan. He pointed out that even in case of an extradition treaty the transfer of criminals is a lengthy process and the quickest way was to compel Rajan to leave Bangkok for Mumbai. He further said that he had spoken to the minister for foreign affairs Jaswant Singh and the Union home minister L K Advani over the issue. He said that the Maharashtra government had suggested that Rajan's passport be seized in Bangkok by the Indian High Commission so that he could be deported by the Thai authorities to India.He said that there were no differences between the state and the central governments over the issue. Bhujbal further said that the state government did not discriminate between gangsters on the basis of their religion or caste and that in all seriousness, the Democratic Front government had written letters to Advani, twice, to make efforts to bring underworld dons operating from other countries to India for prosecution. He said that a criminal had no religion or caste and there was no question of having a soft corner for any one of them. Bhujbal earlier released a book of articles written by Kumar Ketkar in Marathi, "Anibani" (Emergency). Ketkar is the editor of Marathi daily "Maharashtra Times".While releasing the book, Bhujbal praised former prime minister Indira Gandhi for her statesmanship. He observed that if she were alive, she could have prevented the demolition of Babri mosque.He said that since the razing of the mosque in 1992, communal forces had started spreading hatred in the country, posing a threat to the unity and integrity of the country. He said that the book would reveal the other side of the emergency imposed by Mrs Gandhi.
