Don8217;t react, Thackeray tells Sainiks

MUMBAI, JULY 21: After a relatively quiet day on Thursday, the decibel levels rose considerably on Friday with the Supreme Court ticking o...

MUMBAI, JULY 21: After a relatively quiet day on Thursday, the decibel levels rose considerably on Friday with the Supreme Court ticking off the Centre and the Bombay High Court throwing out a petition seeking to stop the State Government from arresting Bal Thackeray.

Thackeray launched a broadside against Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal; Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, helped by the apex court observations, said criminal proceedings would be initiated against Thackeray in the Srikrishna commission report; the BJP blasted the Congress-NCP for demanding extra forces; Sharad Pawar returned the compliments to the Centre for denying the same and a spurned Bhujbal said he would withdraw the security provided to central government establishments in the State.

In only the second official statement since controversy broke out, Thackeray blamed Bhujbal for 8220;subjecting the people of the state to unprecedented tension8221; and proceded to comfort them: 8220;I appeal to the Sena workers and my admirers, do not give a call for bandh, move freely without fear. If the government wants to commit a blunder, give it an opportunity to destroy itself.8221;

He went on to warn the government: 8220;I am being told everyday that nobody is above is the law. Let me tell the government that if that is the case, then they too cannot misuse the law. We will fight the case the court. This tension has been created by Bhujbal.8221;

Earlier in the day, it was the turn of Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar and Bhujbal to blast the centre for refusing additional central forces. 8220;It is unfortunate that Advani has rejected the proposal for obvious political reasons,8221; Pawar said. He also came down strongly on Union Law Minister Ram Jethamalani, who had observed on Thursday that the Centre could direct the State to drop the case. 8220;I feel Union ministers should make statements more responsibly,8221; he said.

On Shiv Sena8217;s demand for the dismissal the State government, Pawar joked seriously: 8220;I hope the experiment in Bihar is still fresh in their minds.8221;

Bhujbal too came down heavily on the centre for rejecting his demand for more forces, saying, the decision was taken at the behest of the Sena-BJP alliance. 8220;Since they have rejected our proposal, we will have to withdraw the 15 companies of SRPF deployed for security of offices and installations of the centre in Mumbai,8221; he threatened.

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Bhujbal was non-commital on the arrest of Thackeray. 8220;We are still processing the papers. Once the exercise is over, the same will be forwarded to the commissioner of police for appropriate action,8221; he said.

Speculation is that if the state makes up its mind, the arrest might take place on Saturday night or Sunday morning.