ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Raj Thackeray condemns attack on BCCI office

Syed Firdaus Ashraf in Bombay

In a surprise development, the Shiv Sena which has been threatening the Pakistan team over the forthcoming Indo-Pak series, condemned Monday's attack on the Board of Control for Cricket in India office in Bombay.

Speaking to reporters after the release of his drawings and caricatures of several top politicians, Raj Thackeray, nephew of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and leader of the Shiv Udyog Sena, said, "We condemn the incident which took place at the BCCI office yesterday."

Thackeray insisted that Sainiks were not involved in the attack and that he had no idea who masterminded the attack.

He also denied state leader of the Opposition Chhagan Bhujbal's allegation that Sena MLA Shrikant Sarmalkar was involved in the attack. "If anybody knows the attackers were Shiv Sainiks, please come and inform us," he said.

"The Sena has never denied when it has attacked any place in the past. We have never been hypocrites," he added.

Asked about the Sena's possible volte face, considering that it praised the Sena MLC (Sishir Shinde) who dug up the Wankhede pitch in 1991, Thackeray said, "I don't want to get involved in further controversies." He also avoided a direct question when a journalist asked whether he considered the attackers to be patriots.

Meanwhile, BCCI officials today met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and state Home Minister Gopinath Munde, who assured them of full protection and safety.

Briefing the press after the meeting, Munde said, "Serious action will be taken against the attackers, no matter who they are."

However, he said he was not aware whether the Sena was involved in the attack or not "at the moment".

Asked why Sena chief Bal Thackeray was not being arrested since he was directly instigating his party cadres, a point Congress leader Sharad Pawar was also insisting on, Munde said, "Pawar did not arrest Thackeray when he was chief minister. How does he now expect us to arrest Thackeray?"

Munde also avoided an answer when asked why the state government was not arresting rampaging Sena workers under the Indian Penal Code.

Asked why the Shiv Sena's deputy leader Vijay Loke was not being arrested, since he has called for an attack on the offices of airlines and hotels which play host to the Pakistani team, Bombay's Police Commissioner Ronald Hyacinth Mendonca intervened to state that Loke had not made such a statement in his presence. "I have read this only in newspapers."

Munde also pointed out that the BCCI officials, including Board executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar, had not been able to identify any of the culprits. "So I don't know whether Sarmalkar was involved or not."

Asked if the police force had failed in its duty, Munde said since no match is being played in Bombay, "we did not expect such an incident."

He also declared that all the cricketers and BCCI officials, including selection committee chairman Ajit Wadekar, will be given police protection.

BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur was unwavering in his stance that the tour would go on. "The tour is on and the Pakistanis have also confirmed that they are coming."

Asked if he foresaw any trouble, he quipped: "I can't foresee trouble."

He also denied reports that Sachin Tendulkar's travel plans had been kept a well guarded secret. "I have no idea about this," he said.

Tell us what you think of this report