RIGHT-WING OUTFITS IN GOVT LINE OF FIRE

Also rushing Ordinance on black magic and anti-superstition bill

In a bid to divert attention from its failure to nab the assailants of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, the state government has decided to rush an Ordinance on the antisuperstition and black magic bill. It is also mulling over a ban on certain unnamed rightwing outfits.

The state government was in no such tearing hurry to pass the legislation during the lifetime of Dabholkar, who had been campaigning for such a law for over a decade. His family welcomed the ordinance but added that it had come too late.

The rationalist's son Hameed Dabholkar said if the ordinance would have been passed earlier, his father's life could have been saved. "If a day after he was murdered, the Cabinet can meet and pass this ordinance, then they could have done that 18 years ago when the fight for this was on," he said.

The city of Pune, meanwhile, in a spontaneous surge of sentiment for the deceased, observed a partial bandh. Citizens participated in the bandh by holding peaceful demonstrations; politicians were kept out of the protest. A massive hunt has been launched to trace the killers but the police were tight-lipped on the investigations. There have been allegations that Hindu right-wing group Sanathan Sanstha, which often locked horns with Dabholkar, could be involved in the murder.

But the group has professed its innocence. ''Yes, Dabholkar was our rival and he still is. But we are saddened by his death. It is unfair that an organisation engaged in spiritual activities is being accused of his murder,'' its spokesperson said at a press conference.

However, in a front-page statement in its daily mouthpiece, "Sanatan Prabhat",

Sanatan Sanstha leader Jayant Athavale had said births and deaths are pre-destined and everybody gets the fruit of his karma. "Instead of dying bedridden afflicted from an illness, or after a surgery, such a death for Dabholkar is a blessing of the almighty," Athavale said in the statement. Other organisations like the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti were less inclined to hold themselves back and continued to spew hatred. The organisation's website on Wednesday carried Dabholkar's photograph, which was crossed off. Chavan hinted at a function that Sanatan Sanstha might be banned. The government has sent a proposal to the Centre seeking a ban on three "fascist" organisations in the state, he said. Addressing the office-bearers of the state unit of Congress here, he said the government must not give any latitude to terrorist organizations. The Union Cabinet has cleared the Ordinance and the Governor now has to promulgate the executive order. In the cabinet meeting, Home Minister R.R. Patil came under fire from Industry Minister Narayan Rane for his inability to control the law and order. A team of Mumbai Police crime branch will provide assistance to Pune police, especially in vetting the rationalist's phone call records.