Rane sets deadline for Govt to take action

Rane threatened to launch a statewide agitation if specific action was not taken against gangsters within a week.

“During the meeting, we specifically brought to the notice of Bhujbal that instead of taking action against erring police officials, particularly the ones having links with the underworld and who were shifted out of Mumbai during the Sena-BJP rule, they were brought back to the metropolis to settle political scores,” Rane said.

With politics involved, Rane alleged that the entire police force responsible for maintenance of law and order has become ineffective. “We feel that the police department has become ineffective as it has been unable to take action against a particular gang owing to patronage of the government,” Rane said.

On the other hand, Bhujbal denied the charges made by Rane, saying, during the meeting, all official records as well as information was given to the former Chief Minister. “We replied to all the questions and doubts raised by Rane. It will be wrong to say that my Government is shielding a particular gang. Even official records will confirm that we have not protected any of the gangs and as such it will be unfortunate if anyone alleges that Sena workers were killed after the Congress-led Democratic Front came to power. We have given specific instructions to the police to deal with them with an iron hand,” Bhujbal said.

Bhujbal also countered that as per official records, more Shiv Sena workers were killed during the Sena-BJP rule than the present government. “I am surprised and shocked at criticism levelled against me. The Opposition parties have not cast any aspersions on the police or on the government, but have targeted me for obvious political reasons,” Bhujbal remarked.

Bhujbal admitted that after Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai was the main target of the underworld, as a result of which the gangsters operating from the neighbouring countries were concentrating on the metropolis.

On the charge that no action plan has been drafted to curb sudden spurt in the activities of gangsters, Bhujbal said after the murders of the three Shiv Sena workers, police have been asked to be more vigilant.

Bhujbal said the outcome of the meeting was satisfactory, since it was for the first time that there was direct interaction with the leaders of Opposition on the law and order situation. “We told them of our future course of action and also assured to provide adequate security cover to Sena leaders, should they perceive any threat to their lives,” Bhujbal said.

When asked if there was a demand to shift Commissioner of Police R H Mendonca, Bhujbal said there was no such demand neither was there such a proposal before his government.

Besides Rane, the meeting was also attended by former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, leader of opposition Nitin Gadkari, former Minister of State for Home Gajanan Kirtikar, Director General of Police Subhash Malhotra and Commissioner of Police R H Mendonca.