September 1, 2013 12:00:14 AM| By ZEESHAN SHAIKH, FPJ

Mumbai Forty eight hours after 500 swords were distributed by the Shiv Sainiks at Shivaji Park on Janmashtami, the police are yet to confiscate them.

The chairman of the State Minority Commission, former police commissioners, secular activists and Muslim leaders have criticised the police for allowing the Shiv Sena to create communal tension through this act.

M N Singh, former Mumbai police commissioner, said on Saturday, “ This is wrong. Distributing swords in such a large number could lead to chaos in the city”. He said, “ Even if the swords were blunt, it may be used in the city if there is a communal tension in future”. The former police commissioner also added, “ The cops have the power to confiscate these weapons and they must do it as soon as possible”. A Shiv Sena activist, Abhijeet Panse, organiser of the Dahi Handi in Dadar, distributed 500 swords at Dadar to Govinda Mandals on Thursday. Panse, who is a Sena leader and president of Saheb Foundation, said, “ The swords should be used to check atrocities against women”. “ We should cut the limbs of those who attack women,’’ he announced in the presence of policemen.

DCP Dhananjay Kulkarni, of Zone 5, who said to FPJ on Friday that he would reexamine the case said on Saturday, “ The investigation is on, we are checking whether these blunt swords come under the definition of a weapon. We are also taking legal opinion for this issue.” Sadanand Date, Joint Commissioner of Police ( Law And Order), had assured Free Press Journal on Friday that suitable action would be taken on Saturday.

On Saturday night, he said, “ So far there has not been any complaint nor any indication, which shows that this is a cognizable matter.

But still we are enquiring into this”. Munaaf Hakim, chairman of the Minority Commission, said, “ Distributing swords among public has become a habit for Shiv Sainiks. In the past, Shiv Sainiks had a history of violence. The Mumbai Police Commissioner, Satyapal Singh, who is incharge of law and order in the city must start a combing operation to confiscate these weapons and the weapons distributed by Sainiks in past instances”. Hakim further added that he will write to the Mumbai police chief to take action as soon as possible.

Maulana Mehmood Daryabadi, president of All India Ulema- e- Council, said, “ This is utter nonsense.

The cops are always soft when it comes to Shiv Sena and MNS. If the same act would have been done by the leader of minority community, they all would have been arrested in a few hours. Then why the police is delaying to take action in this?” Sadanand Date, Joint Commissioner of Police ( Law And Order), had assured Free Press Journal on Friday that action would be taken on Saturday.

 

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