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Gawli forgets past, to help cops now

From cop hater to cop lover. That's what Arun Gawli, underworld don-turned-politician, is up to these days.

Gawli's latest effort -- critics, of course, see this as another of his 'numbers' -- is to lend support to the families of policemen who died while on duty. On the bhai-dooj day, Thursday, the Akhil Bharatiya Sena, Gawli's political outfit, propose to start providing monetary support to the next of kin of brave cops to search for jobs.

If required, the families would be provided housing assistance.

"All policemen are not bad. There are only certain groups that are corrupt and I do not have any grudge against them," Gawli said during a breakfast meeting with reporters at his stronghold in Dagdi Chawl, Byculla in south-central Bombay.

He alleged the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance government has in many cases failed to provide assistance to the families of cops who died in encounters, dealing with terrorists or in bomb explosions.

But wasn't it these same cops that jailed Gawli for nearly 16 years and killed some of his associates? Of course, it was. But the ex-don, now wearing a Gandhi-cap, is a changed man.

"It is only a group of cops and officers who are experts in encounters. It is dictatorship. You can check from the police records who specialises in encounters," he said.

This is ABS' first major social campaign. "I am going to continue social work, forgetting my past life. I really want to help people. That is my sole aim," he added.

Gawli was recently released from jail after a one-year term.

ABS, despite fielding 16 candidates in the last Lok Sabha election, is not much interested in politics at this stage. "We want to create a base first. Moreover, the police at the instance of the state government will start harassing my workers if we jump into politics now," he said, "After the massive rally last year, the police harassed my men day in and day out as we posed a threat to the government."

Gawli squarely blamed the Maharashtra government for the 'deteriorating' law and order situation. The police, he alleged, is acting on the government's behalf, harassing the common man.

He demanded that the government provide him adequate security as attempts are being made to eliminate him in a fake encounter.

UNI

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