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The Rediff Interview/Arun Gawli

'In social service, one roads leads to Parliament and the other to prison'

Behind the most well-guarded precincts of Bombay's Dagdi Chawl, the city's native Don Corleone, 48-year old Arun Gawli, is holding durbar for his janata. A stream of visitors from various walks of life are milling around his second storey, opulently furnished house. Currently, Gawli is the only resident mafia don of Bombay and is also among the very few people in the city who have succeeded in giving many a sleepless night to the state's most powerful man, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

Jake Khan met the mafia don-turned-politician-turned-social activist in his stronghold and spoke to him on various subjects ranging from his incarceration, gang-war, politics, his new-found, self-proclaimed love for social service and his future plans. An excerpt from the exclusive interview with Gawli alias 'Daddy'.

In all how many years have you spent in jail so far?

I was picked up the first time by the police in 1977 for the murder of matka operator, Parasnath Pandey. I was in prison for a couple of years under various charges. Then, in the 'eighties I was in prison for four-five years. Since 1990, I have mostly been in prison and I have barely spent a few months, in between various detentions, with my family. Say, I must have been in jail for more than 10-12 years of my life so far.

How and why did you take to crime?

I don't think I am a criminal. That is all history now. All the cases were framed against me by the police for the sake of convenience. Till recently they must have slapped more than 20 (actually it is 26) cases against me including so many murders but they have failed to get conviction in a single case. They do not have any evidence against me except their bias.

What about your enmity with Dawood Ibrahim? Now since you have embraced politics are you going to give up your fight against your arch-enemy?

Well, the fight against Dawood cannot be abandoned. I am not a coward and my fight against him will continue in some way or the other, though I cannot disclose exactly how I plan to continue it.

What do you think about the Bombay police?

The Bombay police is used and misused by anybody and everybody. At times, by gangsters like Dawood for killing his rivals in fake encounters and other times also by their political masters. Still I will not make sweeping generalisations, some of the policemen are highly competent and devoted professionals.

What do you think about the present scenario of crime escalation and the police's helplessness?

Basically it is the jobless, unemployed and frustrated youths who have taken to crime out of desperation. A single execution of a job gives them the equivalent of a months' salary. Also their association with the bosses who control the gang by remote control from foreign shores give them the feeling of power and thus misguides them.

Why did you float the Akhil Bharatiya Sena?

It has been around for ever. Jitendra Dabholkar, who was killed by Chhota Shakeel last year had approached me in 1996 and said that he wanted to launch a forum which will fight against the injustice and protect the poor and helpless. I said why come to me! Jitendra said 'because you are resourceful, influential and a committed person who can guide today's youths'. I told him he can go ahead and I will lend him all kind of support. Thus the party was launched and I began cooperating with Jitendra.

But has it really taken off?

Yeah, we have established several offices in the city, in districts and mofussil regions of the state and even in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We have thousands of committed and devoted workers in our party.

What is the point? Your party cannot win even a single election and today it hardly exists?

Umm... ( remains quiet for a while) I have always maintained that a small shop cannot survive if opened next to a huge store.

Why did you give Rs 100,000 as aid to slain policemen's families?

After all, they have died in service. The government was not helping them which is why I helped them. One of the guards who had escorted Feroz Konkani to J J Hospital from where he escaped also happened to escort me to court. On the way, he mentioned that how the slain constable, P D Kardiley's family was in dire straits and how the government is yet to pay heed to their condition.

The policemen pleaded with me to do something for the family. So I did. Is it illegal to help policeman's family?

What are your future plans?

I have spent so many years in jail, I have come across so many criminals including Konkani, who was my cellmate in Thane jail for so many years. My experience with the criminals, youth and police could be put to constructive use. If the police or some organisation can consult me regarding ways and means of crime control I think my experience and advice can really be helpful to society in general and youths in particular.

You talk as if you are a reformist. But actually you or your men keep threatening people over phone and keep making extortion demands? Don't you think it is hypocritical?

I am really trying to devote myself to social service. These accusations are absurd and baseless.

Then why are you put behind bars time and again?

In social service, one road leads to prison and another to Parliament. Wasn't Anna Hazare imprisoned? So what if I was detained? The police in their efforts to nail me have gone as far as Supreme Court but they could not get a single conviction.

You are aware that the anti-extortion cells have registered a total of 102 cases of threat and intimidation against you this year alone?

It is difficult to convince everybody that I am not as dreaded and frightening as police have projected me through the media. On this Dassehra day, I along with my family, kids and friends have been to the seaside at Girgaum Chowpatty. On the way, people began waving at me, saluting me, saying namaskar, shouting 'hello Arun Bhai'. These people wanted to touch me, shake hands with me and were really giving me warm smiles. Tell me, do people behave in this manner with a person who they fear and are scared of? No. It means they know that I am not a goonda. I am not what the police and you people (the press) are portraying me to be.

What are your immediate plans?

I will keep helping society.

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