I am waiting to be arrested: Bal Thackeray

    
MUMBAI: Stating that Shiv Sena was ready to provide the best lawyers to defend Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, arrested in connection with Malegaon blast, Sena Chief Bal Thackeray on Monday ridiculed Congress MP Gurudas Kamat who has demanded his arrest for backing her.
    
"Whenever Congressmen have fits of Muslim appeasement, they dream of my arrest" Thackeray said in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
    
Speaking at a function held here recently to felicitate Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on his government completing four years in office, Kamat had said Thackeray should be put in jail for supporting the sadhvi.
    
"Even Deshmukh must have squirmed when Kamat made this demand," the octogenarian Thackeray, whose son Uddhav now virtually manages Sena affairs, said.
    
The blast case is being probed under pressure and attempt is being made to brand people as 'Hindu terrorists', Thackeray, who had last month demanded that troops be sent inside mosques to flush out Islamic militants, said.
    
Stating that he had never been afraid of being arrested, Thackeray asked the government to clarify whether he would be arrested for supporting Hindus in 'Hindustan' or for thwarting danger to the Marathi pride in Maharashtra.
    
Thackeray recalled when late Chief Minister Vasantrao Naik had got him arrested and sent to Pune's Yerwada jail, there was arson in Maharashtra and he had to appeal for peace.
    
"Is it not your simple calculation that Hindutva forces would be crushed and your Muslim vote bank would be strengthened if you arrest me in connection with the sadhvi case," Thackeray said.