July 18: Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta's strictures against the Mumbai police notwithstanding, Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde today claimed that though there was tension in some parts of the state, the overall law and order situation was satisfactory.He said that while a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the desecration of B R Ambedkar's bust, the CID has been directed to probe into the attack on the official residences of senior Congress leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Madhukar Pichad.``The police have already arrested 38 persons in connection with the attack on residences of Bhujbal and Pichad. Now I have directed the CID to arrest the remaining accused, including a Member of Parliament and legislator before Sunday,'' said Munde, to The Indian Express, without so much as spelling out MP, Mohan Rawle's name.``Even before the arrival of Gupta to assess the law and order situation in the metropolis, my government had taken corrective measures to tackle the situation. We submitted a comprehensive report to Gupta on the steps taken by the alliance government to restore law and order,'' he said.Munde said he had already admitted on the floor of the legislature that there was dereliction of duty by the officials posted at the residences of Bhujbal and Pichad. ``We have already suspended three police inspectors for lapses in duty as it was confirmed that despite specific information, they failed to take immediate action against the Shiv Sena workers, who ransacked Bhujbal's residence,'' he added.The policy of the alliance government emerges very clear - under no circumstances will it allow an individual or a political party to take law in their hands, the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out.``I have no hesitation in stating that the alliance government has booked several Sena workers, for it was observed that they were taking law and into their hands. Be it the attack on Haffkine Institution Vishwanath Yemul or the Director of the Leelavati Hospital, we have taken stringent action against them,'' he added.He further stated that Indrajit Gupta did not say that there was complete collapse of law and order machinery. ``His observations are very clear. He remarked that though the law and order situation was not satisfactory, it has not completely collapsed,'' said Munde.Asked if he proposed a reshuffle of top police officials in the metropolis in the wake of Gupta's remarks, Munde said since a judicial as well as administrative inquiry has been ordered in both the incidents, it will be improper to shift the officials at this juncture.Referring to the massive response to the Arun Gawli-sponsored Akhil Bharatiya Sena's procession on Thursday, Munde voiced his discontent over the huge media coverage given to the erstwhile don's activities. ``The Fourth Estate is giving undue importance to Gawli. When I, as a leader of opposition four years ago, took out a morcha of five lakh farmers to demand loans, the media virtually ignored the event,'' he said He denied that there was any dispute about the permission granted for Gawli's procession. ``In view of the already tense law and order situation in the metropolis, the decision was taken at the highest level,'' he said.
