Dastardly Act
By Dr. Arvind Kumar
The dastardly act of burning to death of Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane by a gang of kerosene and petrol pilferers at Panewadi, near Manmad in Nashik district of Maharashtra, needs to be condemned in strongest terms. This shows deteriorating law and order situation in the country. This grisly incident proves the growing clout of the oil mafia which can even kill for carrying on its lucrative business. At the same time it demonstrates administration’s inability in dealing with growing clout of mafia groups which are thriving in different parts of the country. If this can happen to a senior bureaucrat, what protection does a common man have against the all-powerful gangsters? The state employees of Maharashtra have done right to protest against this incident and demand security. Criminals and gangsters are having a field day owing to the blessings of political patrons. The criminal-politician nexus is deepening its roots and government’s half-hearted approach to deal with corruption will be derailed by such incidents because no employee will risk life for exposing corruption unless stringent punitive measures are put in place to thwart nefarious designs of the criminals.
There is a dire need to revamp our clumsy legal system which is no deterrent for the perpetrators of crime. Lenient provisions of law, long legal procedures in courts and political patronage make the criminals as ‘dare-devils’ who take pride in defying the law and auhtority. It is right time to overhaul politico-legal system before it is too late.
