'Should cops sing bhajans when gangsters try to kill them?'

''Our rivals can never see the good work done by the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government as their eyes are covered with envy and malice.''

Half way though his five-year term, Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi also claims that the coalition government has laid a strong foundation for the state's development.

In an exclusive interview to Saamna, the CM discusses the coalition's agenda for the future. He also discusses several other issues including his relations with his deputy Gopinath Munde, the Ghatkopar firing incident, the law and order situation in the state. Excerpts from the conversation:

Looking back on your tenure, don't you think precious time has been wasted in unnecessary controversies?

We haven't wasted any time. But have done a lot of good work.

How can you say that?

Governing a state is like constructing a building -- there are several stages. The struggle involved in laying the foundation is not as visible as building the superstructure. Thankfully, however, people know what the alliance went through in laying a strong foundation.

What exactly do you mean by a strong foundation?

We had decided to give top priority to essential things that Maharashtra lacked.... Most of the SS-BJP ministers were inexperienced as far as administration of the state is concerned, and had to be trained....

What are these essential things?

The list is pretty long. Fifty years after Independence, drought still plagues the state.... Besides the Krishna Valley in western Maharashtra, 11 dams will come up in the drought-prone Vidharbha region. Even the Konkan region will have more dams.

Several expressways have been proposed, and ''Advantage Maharashtra'' has been formed to speed up industrial development... All such schemes -- including the free housing scheme for slumdwellers -- cannot be completed in seconds. It will take some time before they bear fruit.

People feel these are mere slogans.

Their eyes are full of envy and malice. Work is still going on; you cannot expect results in a jiffy.

Co-operative farming sector, which was the state agriculture's backbone, has become sick. Sugarcane farmers are bearing the brunt as there is no demand from sugar co-operatives.... Oranges continue to rot in Nagpur. So also grapes in Nashik. What is the solution?

Those leaders who called themselves farmers's saviours did not initiate a comprehensive and cohesive agriculture policy in the last 47 years. It's the SS-BJP alliance which framed an agriculture policy.

The plight of factory workers seems to be worse than that of farmers, especially because many units are being closed down in Bombay. Several other factories are being shifted out of Maharashtra. What is your government doing to provide them jobs?

A Rs 7 billion scheme is ready to tackle this problem. By March 31, 1998, we will provide jobs, including self-employment, to 78,000 people.

Let me also tell you that no units have been shifted out of the state. Moreover, after we came to power, industrial closures have come down drastically

What went wrong in Bombay's Ramabai Nagar after Dr B R Ambedkar's statue was desecrated?

The firing incident was unfortunate.... Dalits in Maharashtra already had some grudge against us. But this outrage was systematically exploited by those who wanted our government to be dismissed.

Did the government fail to deal with the violence?

I admit that we were a bit soft. We felt that the strike was called to pay homage to the dead. But there is need for introspection now.

What do you think of the attacks on Congress leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Madhukar Pichad's houses in the aftermath of the incident?

It should not have happened. But one should understand what had compelled Shiv sainiks to attack Bhujbal's place. The Sena is furious with his irresponsible, slanderous statements.

Is it true that there is a tiff between you and Munde?

Of course, not! You can say they are trying to create a rift....

How serious was the threat to the alliance government because of the firing incident?

I don't care if the threat is small or big. But the fact is that Sena chief Bal Thackeray's efforts saved the government.

Thackeray had to meet the prime minister, the home minister and the governor.... Why did such a situation arise?

Not because the alliance government had made any mistakes but because the opposition was exaggerating ground realities to malign us.

A gangster like Arun Gawli is posing challenge to your government....

The Akhil Bharatiya Sena poses no threat to our government. Arun Gawli runs a gang, not a political party.

What were the police doing when such a notorious gangster was mobilising people for a mammoth rally?

It is not the police's job to stop anyone from starting a political party. But those responsible for mafia activities or spreading terror will be taken to task. We will break the gangsters's backbone, even if it means going in for more police encounters.

People, too, should do their bit. They should stop paying extortion money to gangsters. The government will give them 100 per cent security.

The number of police encounters has been increasing...

Should the police sing bhajans when gangsters are trying to kill them? The police have clear instructions that they should use their weapons in case gangsters fire at them.

Once upon a time didn't the Sena use gangsters?

Impossible. The Shiv Sena has never used any gangsters. Moreover, where was the need for gangsters when the latter were afraid of the Sena?

Industrialists are constantly living in the shadow of threat due to gangsters and extortionists....

Yes. But they should steer clear of such elements in their own interest.

Is the Nadeem case going the Sanjay Dutt way?

That impression may be gaining ground, but this case is not exactly the same.

The police and the Shiv Sena chief have come up with different versions on the Gulshan Kumar murder case.

Thackeray said he will name the three big fish only if the police approach him.

Will Nadeem escape the dragnet?

Absolutely not. Thackeray has reiterated that he will do nothing if Nadeem is guilty.

What has happened to Munde's claim that he would arrest gangster Dawood Ibrahim within six months?

It is not impossible to arrest Dawood, but the Centre has to co-operate. For, various issues have to be sorted with the countries where he operates.

Translated by Prasanna D Zore. Kind courtesy: Saamna

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