I Am Not Afraid To Die, Says Bhujbal

The leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, Chaggan Bhujbal, yesterday night told Union home minister Indrajit Gupta that he narrowly escaped being lynched last Sunday by a mob of Shiv Sainiks who were baying for his blood.

Speaking at the Raj Bhavan, Bhujbal admitted that he was terribly frightened for his life as the mob entered his house and kept shouting find him, we will cut him to pieces. However he said I am not afraid to die and added that no security that the central government could provide him was foolproof.

Decrying the attitude of police posted at his residence, Bhujbal said a sub-inspector, who had experience of dealing with gangsters in encounters, turned out to be very soft when faced by the mob and instead of taking stern action was seen to be pleading with them not to enter.

Gupta will visit Bhujbals ransacked bungalow today.

A press conference scheduled to be held yesterday evening was postponed for today as Gupta was still in the process of interacting with delegations of various parties. Meanwhile Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde announced that the Z category security cover for Bhujbal, which had been recently withdrawn, was being provided to him again.

He said the number of incidents of desecration of statues of Ambedkar and other leaders had gone down during the Sena-BJP regime as compared to the previous Congress government.

During 1994, the number of such incidents was 71 compared to 45 during 1996, he said.

On persistent demands by opposition members for registering cases under 307 IPC (attempt to murder), Munde said, a similar murder attempt was made on me when I was the leader of opposition in Assembly some years ago. Window panes of my car were shattered in the firing but the then Congress government did not register a case under 307 in this regard.

Munde also accused the opposition of siding with the political organisation floated by underworld don Arun Gawli.