Even as Maharashtra Home Minister Jayant Patil said on Wednesday that things in violence-hit Western Maharashtra would settle down in a day or two following a meeting he held with Muslims and Ganesh mandal leaders in Miraj,the Shiv Sena has already launched a campaign over the controversy. Its eye on the Assembly elections around the corner,the Sena is putting up replicas of the poster depicting Shivaji slaying Adilshahi general Afzal Khan,that led to the communal clash in Sangli-Miraj,and holding demonstrations. After the hoarding displayed in the Western Maharashtra town led to violence,the police had removed it. In protest,Ganesh mandals had refused to immerse Ganesh idols. Patil said on Wednesday that the matter had been sorted. We have decided that an arch will be erected and then Ganesh immersion will be carried out between 10 am and 4 pm on Thursday, Patil said. Mallu Bhanaji,president of the Bharat Mata Ganesh Mandal in Miraj,said he was happy that the poster will be displayed. More importantly,the Muslims had expressed no objection to it,he said. Muslims have been staying happily in Miraj for years. Most of the Muslims were not even aware when the riots broke out. We want our normal life back, said Mohammad Ghaus,a local resident. The state government said permission had now been given to put up some posters and steps were being taken to ensure that there was no trouble. After an all-party meeting today,permission was given to put up smaller cut-outs of the original poster, said Additional Chief Secretary,Home,Chandra Iyengar. The collector has not informed us about any new posters being put up in Miraj. While curfew continued in Miraj,Sangli,Ichalkaranji and other riot-hit places on Wednesday,the situation was visibly improving. In order to prevent outfits from taking advantage of the situation,Sangli District Superintendent of Police Krishna Prakash has written to the cyber crime department of the state police to take steps to delete provocative video footage of the riots from various websites. Investigation is on to identify those involved in making and circulating these videos, said Prakash,adding that he had also approached the Anti Terrorism Squad. The DSP blamed extreme factions of both the Hindu and Muslim communities for the riots.
